


Choices and Paths

by AbschaumNo1



Series: Hermitcraft Fantasy AU [4]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Found Family, M/M, Magic, Multi, Not extremely detailed, Possession, Queerplatonic Relationships, Royalty, Soulmates, Witches, i guess, implied suicidal thoughts, past emotional child abuse, those were in the past as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 66,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbschaumNo1/pseuds/AbschaumNo1
Summary: An invitation, a worrying tip, a worried letter.We all have choices to make and some of us find new paths to take.
Relationships: Docm77/Etho/VintageBeef/BdoubleO100, Evil Xisuma/Original Male Character, Natalie Arnold/FalseSymmetry, Welsknight/Zedaph, ZombieCleo/Joe Hills, impulseSV/Tango Tek (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Hermitcraft Fantasy AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635238
Comments: 123
Kudos: 94





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It is here!  
> I'm back with another big project that I have no idea how long it will be.  
> Updates will come as they get done (I'll try to keep up the one chapter a week rhythm I fell into with Unexpected Journey, but I can't make any promises), and as a friendly reminder you can find me on [tumblr](https://abschaumno1.tumblr.com). Feel free to come by and shout at me in my inbox on there.

It was late when Stress finally reached the bottom of her pile of mail. She and False had spent a few days at the Hermitage to unwind after their recent tour of the country, and to see the others, and now she had had to catch up on everything that had needed her personal attention.

She raised an eyebrow when she saw the seal, the coat of arms with the tree in the middle, surrounded by oak leaves was not one she saw very often. Relations with Pesara had been a little strained ever since the Hermits had settled in Snefjella and she had made clear that they had her support.

She broke the seal carefully and started to read.

Ex was tired when he finally reached the Hermitage. He had been travelling all day, taking fewer breaks than usual to make sure he would get home and he started to feel it. He couldn't wait to get to his bed. With a bit of luck Ramal had returned from his trip to the Djinn court already, and he wanted nothing more than to lie down beside him and fall asleep in his arms again.

But before he could follow the call of his home across the valley he had to make the climb up into the castle to Xisuma's office. There was still light spilling from the windows, and Ex had important information to share with his brother.

With a sigh he pushed open the door to the stairwell that would lead him directly from the first courtyard into the main building. If he was lucky this wouldn't take long.

Wels put away the last of the cleaned dishes and yawned. Zed had already gone upstairs, but Wels had been deep in thought and he knew that he would have an easier time falling asleep if he did something that required as little focus as cleaning the dishes before following him.

It hadn’t taken him long and after a last scratch behind Clifford’s ears he turned off the lanterns and climbed the stairs.

Zed was still awake, sitting up against the headboard of the bed, a book in his lap. He looked up with a smile when Wels walked in and shut his book.

“Better now?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Wels said. “A little at least.” He quickly changed before he slipped into bed, while Zed turned off the light. He lay down on his back with Zed leaning his head against his shoulder, one of his arms thrown across Wels's chest.

"Something's different this time, isn't it?" Zed said gently. "You're more worried than usual after your mother writes to you."

Wels idly ran his fingers down along Zed's spine and back up again before he said, "She sounded more worried this time. I'm not sure what she thinks my father is up to, but she seemed concerned that it might be worse than usual."

"It's going to be fine. Your father is probably just in a mood."

Wels sighed. "I hope it's just that," he said.

Zed stretched a little and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

"Whatever is going on is not your responsibility," he said. "Now try and sleep."

"Yeah, I'll try." Wels turned his head to kiss Zed's temple. "I got you, that's what counts."

"That's the spirit."

Zed sounded sleepy now, and Wels kept the motion of his hand along his spine up. It wasn't long before Zed's breaths evened out. He closed his eyes and hoped he would follow him soon.

It was dark when Impulse and Tango returned home. They had been invited by Pixl and Zloy to come to the tavern in Hermitville to listen to their newest song, an extension of what they had written about their romance several years before, and they had gladly taken them up on it.

It had been a nice evening, and the newest addition to the song had been a good one.

Kaya, who had accompanied them, peeled immediately away to join her siblings in the pile of wolves that was already fast asleep in a corner of the living room.

Impulse watched them for a moment, reaching out through their mental link to see how they were doing. All seemed fine though, and when Tango gently tugged on his arm, he followed easily, up the stairs and into the bedroom.

They quickly got ready for bed, and after Impulse had pulled the gold ring off his right ring finger and put it down on the nightstand, Tango pulled him into his arms.

There was a dopey grin on his face and Impulse raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just remembered that I get to marry you," Tango said, eyes going soft.

Impulse smiled. "Should I be concerned that you had to remember that?" he joked.

He didn't wait for Tango's reply before he leaned in to press their lips together, Tango pulling him along when he turned onto his back.

Impulse ran a hand along his side, his nails scraping gently over warm skin until Tango's arms tightened around him and he let out a little gasp. He smirked into the kiss, and when Tango deepened it, everything around them seemed to fall away. It was just them.


	2. Chapter 2

Wels followed Zed as they entered the meeting room. A lot of the other Hermits were already there, talking and joking with each other, and they sat down in their usual spots next to Tango.

"Any idea what this is about?" Zed asked Tango, who shook his head.

"Not the slightest. I think we're all flying blind here."

Wels didn't like it. He thought back to the worried letter his mother had sent him, and he couldn't help but hope that it had nothing to do with whatever Xisuma wanted to talk to them about.

Zed seemed to realise what he was thinking about, and squeezed his hand under the table, a silent reminder that he was there. Wels shot him a quick smile before the door opened again.

Ramal came in accompanied by False, and a moment later the last of the chatter died down when Xisuma, Stress and Ex walked through the door. Wels tried to gouge their mood, but they didn't seem to be on edge, and he relaxed a little.

Xisuma took his usual place at the head of the table, and looked around.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," he said. "I know it was on short notice, but Stress and Ex brought something up with me that I felt we should all hear. I think you should go first, brother."

Ex nodded and leaned forward, bracing his arms on the table.

"A few weeks ago I got a tip from a trusted source in Pesara that something was brewing. They didn't have details, and when Ramal and I followed it up with other sources, we couldn't find anything to support the claim, so we decided to keep an eye on the situation but not bring it up further yet. It didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary was happening.

"That was until two days ago, when I talked to the same source as before. They had proof this time, and their information is solid as far as I can tell." Ex took a deep breath. "There's a conspiracy brewing in Pesara to make it appear as if outside agents are trying to destabilise the country and remove King Dick from the throne."

There was a moment of silence before Stress put down a letter on the table. Wels couldn't see the seal, but he had spent enough time at court to recognise official correspondence when he saw it.

"We can make an educated guess at who these outside agents are supposed to be," Stress said. "This is an invitation from the King himself to a masked ball. To be held three months from now on his country estate in the north of Pesara."

"They want to frame us," Doc said.

Xisuma nodded. "That's what it looks like."

"So what will we do?" Ren asked.

"There's no reason for me to say no without reason," Stress said. "I have to go pretty much."

"Which brings you and False right to the scene of the crime," Wels said. He leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I don't like it. It's too dangerous."

"You're finking like you're the captain of my guard again," Stress said gently.

"There's more actually," Ramal said quietly before Wels could argue. "Someone has been stealing wither skulls from the djinn farms right outside our border. When the border guards investigated they found a seal pointing to one of the lesser noble families of Pesara."

"How the hell did they manage to get in there?" Tango asked, leaning forward. There were questioning looks from around the table, and he explained, "The wither skull farms are the most protected place outside our borders. No one except the workers and the guards are allowed inside or even near them."

"What exactly are wither skulls used for?" Grian, their newest member, asked, throwing a confused look around the table.

"To summon a wither,” Impulse said. He shifted in his seat and when Wels looked over at him, he could see the subtle shift in the set of his shoulders, matching Tango’s posture more closely, and he realised that right now Impulse was speaking as future Prince Consort; that the information he was about to disclose was not usually shared with any outsiders.

“They’re extremely dangerous, and we never summon more than one at a time. They can’t presume to control it, but they don’t have to as long as they can get it to kill any living being before killing it. That will produce a wither rose, which then can be turned into one of the most deadly poisons we know of.” He looked over at Ramal. “How many skulls did they take?”

There was a pregnant pause, before Ramal said, “Fifteen.”

“So they can summon five withers. Everything else they need isn’t hard to get.”

"So that's what, five wither roses? Five doses of poison?" Cub said.

Impulse inclined his head. "At least. More if they don't kill them immediately."

"Which assumes they know how," Tango added. "Withers aren't exactly easy to kill, even if you know how." He looked at Xisuma. "I have to agree with Wels. It's too dangerous."

"Stress and False won't go alone," Xisuma said. He turned to Ramal. "How high are the chances that King Dick has invited Queen Malika as well?"

"She is his direct neighbour. If he invited Stress, he invited her."

"That would get Impulse and me in," Tango said. "But that's still not enough to make me feel comfortable about this." He looked at Ramal, and shook his head. "You're scheming. You're planning something else, aren't you?"

Ramal shrugged. "They don't know about Impulse yet," he said. "Ex's contact can get us an extra invitation. I was thinking we use the invitation for your mother to get you and me in, and Impulse goes on his own. Ex says he can find another way."

Tango frowned.

"And what story were you planning to go with? I know you long enough to know you have one, and that I won't like it."

"I was thinking you would be there putting out feelers looking for your future queen." Ramal did look a little apologetic as he said it, and judging by the stormy expression on Tango's face he was probably right to.

"No," Tango said. "Anything but that." He looked like he wanted to say more, but Impulse's hand on his arm stopped him.

"It's a good story," he said. "It makes sense."

"But…"

"It doesn't change anything, Tango. No one expects you to actually find a wife at that ball." Impulse smiled gently, but Tango still didn't look any happier with the plan.

Wels looked along the table, noting Grian's curious expression. He hadn't seen them strategize like this, Wels realised, with the political interests of several countries in mind and seriously considering the wider implications of their actions. But then he looked past Grian and caught Iskall's thoughtful look.

"What's on your mind, Iskall?" he asked before Tango's and Ramal's discussion could escalate further. He knew Iskall had been a mercenary and had done some work as an assassin before he had joined them. Wels was sure he had some input on this.

Iskall blinked before he said, "I was just thinking, if they consider involving poison we might not get a chance to do anything about this. It's easy to hide and there is a lot more room to do something covert we wouldn't expect. It's a lot harder to spot than a direct attack."

"We will have to risk that," Xisuma said. "I don't want Stress and False to go alone. And if there's more of us around they might have an easier time spotting if something goes wrong."

Iskall nodded. "I know the poison Impulse mentioned, I'll try to give some pointers about how to spot it."

"Thank you." Xisuma looked around. "If that's all I think we can call this a meeting. I'm sure you all have work to get to."

"There is one thing," Stress said. "Just in case something does 'appen." She pulled another document out and placed it on the table. "The country needs a regent should I be unable to return immediately. I want you to take care of my people for me, Xisuma."

Xisuma looked like he hadn't expected that. "Stress, I…"

"I trust you, Xisuma. And people listen to you. I can't fink of anyone better."

"She's right, Xisuma," Zed said, accompanied by nods from the others. "Everyone knows you wouldn't abuse the power she gives you."

"I agree," Mumbo said. "You're a great leader, everyone knows that, 'Suma."

"The nobles won't like it," Wels said. "But they have little choice if Stress names you regent in her absence. And the normal people will trust a leader they know to be kind."

Xisuma looked around the table with a wry smile. "I guess I won’t have a choice but to agree.”

“We're overruling you on this one," Cub said with a shrug.

"Then I guess that settles it." Xisuma looked at Stress. "I'll only step in if I have to. And I'll hand things over to you as soon as you return."

Stress nodded. "Fank you, Xisuma. I'll feel better knowing that the country is in good hands."

"If you want help to navigate court, I'll be there," Wels said. "I've grown up around these people, it's the least I can do."

"About that," False said. "I will leave orders for the guard to follow your command should the need arise, Wels. They'd do it anyway, but we agreed that it would be better to make the line of command clear. I've already talked to Gertha, and you'll have her support as well."

Wels shot her a surprised look. "She hasn't been promoted yet?"

"Not for lack of trying. She refused every promotion she has been suggested for." False shook her head fondly, and Wels chuckled. Gertha had served as second in command of the Queen's Guard under him, and she had always been one of the most able lieutenant he had known. By all accounts she should have been promoted years ago, but then maybe he should have expected her loyalty to her position to reach as far as it did. It had always been one of her best qualities.

"I'll be glad to work with her should it come to that," he said.

"If that is all, I'll declare this meeting over," Xisuma said. "Get back to whatever you were planning to do with your day. Any planning and strategizing will go through Ex."

They all nodded and one after the other they got up. Wels saw Cub approach Impulse, but he didn't hear what they talked about, because he was already following Zed out of the room. They had planned to start shearing the sheep today, and it was about time they got to work.

Tango didn't get the chance to properly talk to Impulse until the evening. Impulse had thrown him a reassuring smile, but he and Cub had started planning what potions and supplies Impulse would need for their mission almost as soon as the meeting was over, and they had probably spent the rest of the day reviewing supplies and checking what they would need.

Tango didn't like Ramal's plan one bit. It felt wrong to pretend he hadn't found the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with yet, and to act like he was looking for someone else to rule by his side. Everything in him refused to even entertain the notion of denying his soulmate and telling anyone he was entertaining a political match.

It ate at him all day and by the time Impulse returned from his potion brewing room that evening Tango had worked out some kinks in the storage of his iron farm and resorted his entire set of project chests just to keep himself occupied and not stewing over the plan.

He had prepared dinner for them and the wolves as well, and when Impulse walked in, the pack right at his heels he took one look at him, sighed and crossed the room to pull him into a tight hug.

Tango sank into it, and put his arms around him and leaned his head against Impulse's shoulder, and for a moment they just stood like that, Impulse rubbing soothing circles onto Tango's back.

"I told you it doesn't change anything," Impulse said. "I'm not going anywhere, and I know you're not going to actually try to find a wife. We'll go to the ball separately, and if you want to we can go visit your mother after and tell her about the engagement and make it all official. We have to tell her anyways."

"I just...I hate the idea of denying your existence even if it's just for that damn ball."

Impulse released his hold on him, and pushed gently at his shoulder until he could see Tango's face.

"You're not denying my existence. You're just keeping it to yourself for now. They don't know who I am to you, but they will eventually. We're just using it to our advantage while we can."

"I still don't like it. Not when all I truly want is to shout from the rooftops how amazing you are."

Impulse's expression softened, and he gently cupped Tango's cheek with his hand.

"You will get to," he said. "Once this is all over you will get to do just that. It won't be long now and we can tell the entire world."

Tango sighed but he nodded, and Impulse stepped close again and leaned up a little to press a short kiss to his lips.

"Let's have dinner," he said. "And I think I know just the thing for later." His smile almost made Tango pull him back in, but before he could act on it, Impulse had stepped away, and all he had was the shiver of anticipation running down his spine.

Ramal was worried. He would have to leave later to go back to the djinn court and talk to his queen about getting her invitation to the ball for Tango, but he didn't want to leave without talking to Tango. Except he knew Tango well enough to know that he was most likely still angry. And because he knew it was better not to poke the bear any more than he had to, he went to Impulse first.

Impulse looked up and smiled at him when he gently knocked on the door of the laboratory he had built into the mountain side between Zed's and Wels's farm and Cub's and Scar's home.

"Hey Ramal," he said, straightening up and Ramal could just see the edges of several bite-marks along his collarbones peek out of the collar of his black shirt.

"Hey."

"You're here to see how Tango's doing, aren't you?" Impulse asked gently.

"Yes." Ramal nodded. "I assume he still doesn't like my idea any more than he did before."

"He's coming around, I think." Impulse shrugged. "I don't like it much either, but I'm not stubborn enough to not see that it makes sense. King Dick already knows Tango's a Hermit, having both of us turn up together would be far too suspicious."

"That's why I proposed it. It's suspicious enough that he attends when he hasn't exactly embraced his duties in the past. We need a good cover story."

"He's never done well with being subtle." Impulse's smile was fond, and Ramal had to chuckle.

"He truly hasn't."

Impulse watched him for a moment before he said, "If you're worried about talking to him, I don't think you have to be. Sure, he's angry, but you've always been his friend, and he hasn't forgotten that. I think it would be good for him to hear your reasoning from you. And I think he needs to hear from you that you don't want him to betray his deepest feelings."

"I would never," Ramal said quietly. "I couldn't deny Ex and our bond if my life counted on it. These are things that go beyond mere feelings."

"I know that, and he does too, deep down somewhere. But he's reeling at the mere suggestion right now, and I can't fault him for that." Another gentle smile. "Go talk to him. You both need it."

"I will. Thank you, Impulse."

"There's no need to thank me. I'm your friend, too."

Ramal smiled. "I know."

He found Tango lying in the grass outside his and Impulse's home, several of Impulse's wolves piled around him as he dozed in the sun. He cracked one eye open when Ramal approached, and gave him a lazy wave before he buried his hand in the fur of the wolf closest to him again.

Ramal sat down with them, one wolf lazily raising his head but deciding it was too comfortable to move away from where it was sprawled across its sibling.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," Ramal said quietly. "I shouldn't have sprung that on you like that."

"Damn right you shouldn't have," Tango grumbled, but then he sighed and opened his eyes, turning his head to look at Ramal.

"I get why. But I don't like it."

Ramal nodded. "I know. I wouldn't like it if I had to do that either. I just want you to know that I never meant to imply you should deny Impulse's existence."

Tango was silent for a moment before he said, barely above a whisper, "I already thought I had lost him once. I just…I never want to remember how it felt to be without him again."

The wolves stirred, as if they picked up on Tango's feelings, and moved closer. The one Tango's hand still rested on raised its head to look at Ramal and let out a low growl.

"Shh Kaya, it's fine," Tango said, petting her soothingly.

She didn't look like she agreed, but she put her head down again, her eyes never leaving Ramal.

"You know I will do everything in my power so you won't have to," Ramal said. "I can only imagine what it would be like to lose Ex. But I hope I never have to find out."

"I hope you never will." Tango gave him a sad smile. He sighed, and said, "Anyways, I assume you'll have to leave soon to get that invitation from my mother."

"This afternoon. I wanted to talk to you first."

"Tell her I'm fine. And tell her not to believe any rumours that come out of that ball. Maybe don't tell her I gave my father's ring to Impulse and asked him to marry me. She'd be thrilled, but we wanted to go tell her once this is over."

Ramal smiled. "I will."

Tango smiled back. "Don't worry about me. We've been friends for so long, I won't give that up over something like this."

"I never thought you would."

"Good. Now go back to Ex, spend some time with him before you have to go. I have a feeling things will get pretty busy before this is over."

Ramal nodded and got up. "I'll try to be back soon."

Tango nodded and Ramal was about to leave when he asked, "By the way, who is our current ambassador to Pesara?"

Ramal stopped and looked back at him. "It's still Reem."

"Just maybe make sure she knows not to spill the beans."

"I'll talk to her personally. Once she finishes berating me for not visiting or at least writing more often."

"Ah siblings. I'm glad I never had any." Tango grinned. "I'm glad we'll have her in our corner though."

"Oh you say that now. Just wait until she gets to you."

Tango's laughter followed him as he walked up the hill and back towards home.

"Something's on your mind," Cleo said when she stepped out onto the lawn behind their house. Joe had been uncharacteristically quiet all day, and she had given him space for most of it, because she knew he would come to her and talk about what was bothering him eventually.

But when he hadn't come by the time she had wrapped up her work for the day, she had gotten concerned and decided to go to him instead. He was still sitting on the bench behind their house, looking out over the pond when she found him, but as soon as he heard her voice he looked up and his worry eased a little into the hint of a smile.

"Oh it's nothin', Cleo. Just the usual swirls and whirls of time," he said.

Cleo rolled her eyes at him and sat down.

"Don't bullshit me," she said. "It's clearly something if it's got you occupied like this all day."

He sighed. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

"I've known you too long, Joe." She leaned a bit towards him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "So what's going on?" She asked, quieter this time.

"I've been tryin' to figure that out all day." He sighed again. "Somethin' big's comin' and I can't tell if it's good or bad or how the dice are gonna fall."

"You think it has something to do with that ball Stress got invited to?"

"Oh that much I'm almost sure about. I just can't tell what will come of it. Might be good, might be bad."

"Might be a bit of both," she reminded him gently. "Sometimes you can only wait and see what happens. Like the rest of us."

"Ah what an adventure that would be."

Cleo could hear the smile in his voice, and she had to smile as well.

"That's what you always say, don't you? Keep adventuring."

"Well it seems you got me there, Miss Cleo." He chuckled, but he got serious again when he said, "I just can't help but worry a little. Who knows what's to come?"

"We'll face it when we get there."

"That we will."

And as the sun started to set behind the Hermitage they stayed right where they were, the pond lying still before them, the lights in everyone's homes being lit one after the other.


	3. Chapter 3

It was late when Ramal rode the path up to the gates of Senona. It wouldn't be long before the gates to the Pesaran capital would close for the night, and the roads were busy with people pouring out of the city to go home. He had hoped to make it earlier, but he had been held up on his crossing of Hafa because he had had to hunt down Captain Haris to deliver new orders from the Queen regarding the protection of the northern border.

His entire trip home had taken him a little longer than he had hoped it would, but the moment he had informed the Queen about what was brewing in Pesara and what they were planning she had put wheels in motion to make sure their story held up from her side and he had been pulled into it. Senona was his last stop before he could go back north and he was actually looking forward to it. He hadn't seen his older sister in a while now, and even if the main reason for his visit was to inform her about Tango's attendance of the masquerade ball, he was glad to get a chance to see her and her wife Kadara.

He was stopped at the gate by a grim looking guard asking for his name and his purpose in the city, and despite the long day on the road he managed to smile.

"Ramal, I'm here to visit my sister, Ambassador Reem," he said smoothly.

There was an immediate shift in the guard as he realised that he was talking to someone of higher rank, and with a much more friendly expression he was let through.

It wasn't long after that until he reached the Djinn embassy, the only thing that differentiated it from the palazzos around it the soulfire lanterns hanging by the gate.

He didn't have to give his name to the djinn servant who let him in before they called a stable boy to take care of his horse and was led into the main building.

His sister was still in her office, but the smell of dinner was already coming up from the kitchen, and he realised that he was getting hungry. Reem looked up when he entered, and her face quickly stretched into a happy smile.

"Brother," she said, "it's good to see you."

She came around her desk and pulled him into a hug that he returned. "What brings you to Senona?"

"I wish it was pleasure," he said, sitting down in the chair she offered him. "But I have a message from the queen for you."

"This is about the big masquerade ball I assume. Is she attending?"

He shook his head. "No. Tango and I will be there though."

Reem shot him a sharp look.

"I assume this is about more than the courtesy of one neighbour to the other."

"Yes." He nodded but before he could say more Reem had gotten up again.

"Let's go to the garden, I don't think you have seen it this time of year."

He caught the warning look she shot him and nodded. "I don't believe I have. I would be happy to see it though."

He followed her out the door and along the corridor, through a sitting room and out onto a large terrace where servants were setting up the dinner table. She stopped for a moment to pull one of them aside to tell them to set the table for him as well, and then she led him deeper into the gardens to a small pavilion where she sat down on a bench.

"You never know who they might have managed to get on their payroll among the servants," she said with an apologetic smile. "But tell me. What's really going on here?

Ramal sighed. "Ex and I have evidence that there is a plot to frame Queen Stress of Snefjella and the Hermits for an attempt on King Dick's life. The plan is for Tango and me to attend under the guise of Tango starting to look for his future queen."

"And what about Impulse?"

"He will be there, too. Ex is going to secure him an invitation to go independently from us. And Queen Stress will have the captain of her guard with her disguised as her lady in waiting."

"So your solution to someone trying to frame them is to have as many people there as possible."

"They stole fifteen wither skulls from our farms and Stress can't refuse the invitation without an incident. It was the best option to keep her safe."

Reem considered it for a moment but then she nodded.

"I will do what I can to help. I assume you have a letter from the queen with you to accept the invitation on behalf of her son."

"I do."

"I will make sure to deliver it as soon as I can."

"Thank you."

Reem’s eyes strayed out into the darkening garden for a moment, deep in thought, before she said, “I will talk to Kadara. We might be able to help with Impulse’s story through friends we have made.” She laughed at Ramal’s surprised look. “We have made friends here. And no one will look twice at a noble woman’s companion at a ball.”

“That may work better than what Ex had in mind,” Ramal admitted. “If you know someone you can trust enough to do this, and if they are willing to help.”

“I will talk to Kadara, see what she says. And I’ll send a message to you as soon as I know more.” Reem stood up again. “Now I’m sure dinner should almost be ready to be served. Kadara is probably waiting for us already.”

She took the arm Ramal offered, and together they walked back along the paths to the patio, looking to anyone who might see them as if they had just taken a casual stroll around the garden.

Around the dinner table torches and lanterns had been lit, and Kadara was already sitting at one end of the table. She smiled when she saw Ramal and got up to greet him with a hug and a kiss to his cheek.

“It is so good to see you, Ramal,” she said. “How have you been?”

Ramal smiled. "I'm good. Ex sends his greetings as well."

"Is he well?"

"He was the last time I saw him a few weeks ago."

"That is good to hear." She stepped away, and gestured towards the table. "But let’s sit and eat. I'm sure you've travelled all day. You must be hungry."

"Starving," he said, still smiling as he sat down.

Kadara gestured to the servant waiting by the opened glass doors, and a moment later the first course of dinner was placed before them and Ramal fell into the familiar rhythm of their conversation.

The castle was busy on the morning Stress and False were set to leave for Pesara. Servants were busy packing the last bits and pieces and loading trunks and packs. False had forgone her usual practical uniform for a dress for once, albeit one that was practical enough to allow her movement should she need it. She was already annoyed by the fact that attending the masquerade with Stress meant that she had to wear dresses. She didn’t like the way even the most practical of courtly dresses restricted her movements and her ability to fight properly. She had made sure that her costume for the ball would be a little more functional, because she did not want to take more risks than she had to, but even there she was limited.

She shook off the thought as she entered her office. Gertha was already waiting for her, sitting in one of the chairs across from False's desk.

She moved to get up when False entered, but False waved at her to remain seated.

"This won't take long," she said as she moved around the desk and sat down in her own chair. "I just wanted to give you the official orders for my absence and in case of emergency. I hope we won't need the latter, but it's better to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible if it should become necessary."

Gertha nodded and False picked up one of the two documents in front of her.

"It's business as usual for my absence. You take over while I'm gone, make sure everything runs smoothly. Nothing out of the ordinary. I trust you to handle the Guard." She slipped the document across the table and picked up the second one. It was sealed, only to be opened in case of emergency and it was heavy with the weight of her badge of office.

"I know we already talked about it but in case of emergency, if Xisuma has to temporarily take over as regent you are to hand over leadership of the Guard to Wels. I want you to know that this has nothing to do with your ability to lead the guard or that we don't believe in your loyalty. Stress and I just thought it best to make sure there is someone who cannot be as easily outranked should it be needed, since you refuse to be promoted. Besides, Wels has political power you don't have that might come in handy in a case like this."

Gertha nodded again. "I have no issue with serving under him again. He was a good captain," she said. "And we do need someone whose connections reach further than my own in an emergency."

"Just make sure he uses them if it's needed," False said with a crooked smile. "He can be stubborn about that."

"I know." Gertha laughed. "He's always been reluctant to do that. Don't worry Captain, I've been through that with him before."

False shook her head with a fond smile. "He's too stubborn for his own good sometimes. Don't let him get away with it."

"I won't," Gertha promised.

"If all goes well we should be back in three months."

"We'll handle things here. Don't worry too much Captain. The queen needs you with her."

"I'll try not to." False got up. "Now with that done I'll better go get Stress. We need to leave soon if we don't want to arrive at the Hermitage too late."

They parted ways at the door to Stress's and False's rooms and False entered, closing the door behind herself. Stress was in the middle of the sitting room, giving last minute instructions, and False went over to her just as she finished.

She looked up at False and smiled.

"All sorted?"

"All sorted," False said, returning the smile and bending down to give her a quick kiss. "We're all ready to go."

"Let’s be on our way then. We’re gonna be on the road for a bit before we reach the Hermitage.”

Stress took the hand False offered to her, and together they walked down to the courtyard, the guards posted outside the royal apartments falling into step behind them.

The carriage was already waiting, and a servant jumped to open the door so False could help Stress up and inside, before she followed her inside and the door was closed behind them. A moment later there was a command from the coachman and the carriage began moving, the guards on their horses moving into position around them.

Xisuma waited for them in the upper courtyard when they arrived. The castle wasn't exactly built to accommodate an entire royal travelling party, but since Tango, Impulse, Ex and Ramal had left earlier in the week there was enough room in the stables for the carriage horses at least, and Jevin and Ren had made sure to make enough room to store the carriage itself over night. The guards would still have to set up camp outside the gates, but the security risk in staying at the Hermitage wasn't nearly high enough to warrant a guard anyways.

Xisuma helped them out of the carriage and accepted the hug from Stress.

"I hope you had a good first day of travelling," he said, as he led them inside the castle.

"Oh I'm sure we will 'ave worse ones," Stress said easily. "The others 'ave left already?"

"A few days ago. Ex and Impulse are going to take the long way around to hide their traces, and Tango and Ramal decided to pay Rhee a visit on the way."

Stress nodded.

"I just 'ave the official letters wif me makin' you regent should it be needed. I left a copy wif Chancellor Karlsson."

They stepped into Xisuma's office and Stress pulled out the sealed document and handed it to Xisuma, who unlocked a small case on his desk and placed it inside, before locking it again and letting the key vanish in a pocket.

"I'll make sure only to use it if I have to," he said. "I hope it won't come to that."

"We all do," False said. "But it's better we have securities in place if we have to. Gertha has the commission for Wels with my badge of office. She's under orders to hand over leadership to him should it come to that."

Xisuma nodded. "I'll make sure he knows."

"Good. If that's everyfing I'm ready for some dinner and a good night's sleep."

"I think the others are already waiting," Xisuma said with a smile. "Everyone's gathered at Ren's."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Xisuma laughed and held the door open for them before locking it behind himself and together the three of them walked back down the stairs and to go to Ren's. A last evening with most of their family before they had to set out into the unknown.

Impulse felt a bit melancholy as he rode East with Ex. He hadn't really had occasion to go further this way than Vatten, and the last time he had come along this way had been on his journey to the Hermitage after his magic had awoken. The wolves had been mere pups back then, far from the grown up pack that was trotting along with them right now. They had parted ways with Tango and Ramal at Kell's a few days ago now, and he was a little sad that the next time he came this way was not with Tango. He had meant to take him out to the now abandoned village where he had spent his childhood to show him what was left of his childhood home, but they had never had the chance. First Impulse had been too occupied with settling in and learning as much from Gertrude as she could teach him, and then there had been other things occupying their time and now the whole business with the masquerade ball meant they would have to spend at least the next six weeks apart.

If everything went well they were set to meet at Hafa a week after the ball to travel to the djinn court and visit Malika to tell her about their engagement. Impulse was looking forward to it. It was sure to set a whole number of official things into motion that he couldn’t even begin to think about right now, but hopefully they would also get some time to relax and enjoy their time together.

They wouldn’t pass the village this time. The plan was to turn south after crossing the border and follow it before crossing into Oria and approach Pesara from the East. It was the easiest way to hide where they were truly coming from, and while it would take longer than the direct route it would also get them closer to the first destination of their journey. Reem had done what she could and one of the friends Kadara had made among the Pesaran nobility had agreed to take Impulse as her companion to the ball. Her estate was in the East of the country, and it had been decided that Impulse and Ex would meet her there.

Impulse would be posing as a lesser noble from Alfria, the country he had been born in, who had met Kadara’s friend on her travels to his country. Ex would act as his manservant while they were in Pesara, and he had asked Impulse to brew up a whole arsenal of invisibility potions so he could sneak around the masquerade itself without being seen.

With any luck no one would look twice at them or even think to follow up on their story before they were long gone.

But they had to get there first, and Impulse tried very hard not to think about everything that could go wrong until then. There was no use in pondering on it too much right now.

Tango was glad when the cluster of buildings that made up Rhee’s farm came into view. He was tired from riding all day, and the fact that Impulse wasn’t with him had started to weigh on his mind. It wasn’t like they spent every waking minute together, but Tango was fairly sure that the past eighteen days were almost the longest time they had spent apart since Impulse had returned to him. And the next four weeks without even seeing him were not bound to lift his mood. Visiting Rhee, Pona and Wydan was one of the few things he was actually looking forward to. He hadn’t seen them since the last summer when he had come to the horse races with Impulse and Zed, and he was sure there was a lot to catch up on.

Someone must have seen them coming, because when they rode into the yard Rhee was already waiting for them.

She greeted both of them with a hug before she said, “It’s an unusual time for you to visit.”

“We had a couple days so we thought we’d visit,” Tango said.

“I guess you’re not telling me where you’re going and why?” Rhee looked between them, one eyebrow raised.

Tango and Ramal exchanged a look and Ramal shrugged.

“Let’s get inside first,” he said, and Rhee nodded.

Soon enough they were sitting around the table with Pona and Wydan, all three of them expectantly looking at Tango and Ramal.

"So officially we're on our way to Pesara on invitation by the king to take part in a masquerade ball at his country estate, and to start looking for a bride for me," Tango said.

"A bride?" Pona asked, frowning. "But you and Impulse…"

"Nothing has changed between me and Impulse." Tango ducked his head with a soft smile. "I actually asked him to marry me a few months ago."

"Congratulations, but why are you officially looking for a bride?" Wydan asked, his frown matching Pona's.

"Because we needed a cover story to better explain why Tango is suddenly taking an interest in his diplomatic duties as crown prince," Ramal said.

"What's going on?" Rhee asked sharply. "Because if this has a political impact on Finis you better tell me."

"We don't think it will. Or at least we hope so," Tango said. "But we have evidence that someone in Pesara is trying to frame Snefjella and the Hermits for an attempt on King Dick's life. Stress couldn't decline the invitation for diplomatic reasons, but we didn't want her and False to go alone. So Ramal and I are attending on behalf of my mother, and Impulse is attending as a lesser noble from Alfria accompanying a noble woman from Pesara with Ex as his manservant."

Rhee considered them for a moment. "Those were probably the best choices you had," she said finally. "You know I can't make promises on behalf of my country but I will do my best to pull my weight in the assembly should an emergency response from our side become necessary and at least keep us neutral."

"Thank you." Tango smiled a bit apologetically. "I'm sorry for pulling you into this should it come that far."

Rhee shrugged. "Who knows, you might have a chance of us supporting Snefjella over Pesara. Our relations with Snefjella are better and Queen Stress has helped us stand against Pesara in the past, even if it was only with the threat of military support. That will carry weight. I assume the djinn would not stand by idly and watch an attack on their crown prince either."

"They won't," Ramal said.

“Which will make standing against Pesara even more appealing to the other chieftains." Rhee paused for a moment before she added, "Really this could go either way."

"You don't seem surprised that something like this might happen," Ramal said.

"If I've learned one thing about Pesara it's that they'll always come up with something. And I've been waiting for them to try to escalate things with Snefjella and the Hermits for years. They're over-estimating themselves and their importance. But that's not a new thing for them. We can only hope that their crown prince will prove to be a better ruler once his time comes."

"I've met him," Tango said. "But that was years ago. Who knows what his father has managed to put in his head since then."

"I don't think we'll truly know until he becomes king." Rhee shrugged. "But I don't concern myself with what-ifs too much. Not while we still have to deal with his father."

"Only time can tell." Tango shrugged.

"Aye." Rhee nodded before she took a swig of her water and changed the topic to what other news they could bring her.

Prince Dick hurried along the hallway towards his rooms. He was supposed to leave for the country estate at Flamia before lunch, but his father had ordered him to his office right after breakfast and kept him there most of the morning. He was running late now and even as he was going he was compiling a list of the things he still had to do before leaving. All the packing had already been done by the servants, and in theory he was only supposed to get onto the carriage and leave. But there were things very few people knew about that he had to handle before he could do that.

Antonio was more lying than sitting in one of the arm chairs in his sitting room when he arrived, lazily turning the pages in a book he had picked up from the table, and Dick rolled his eyes at him as he walked in and unbuttoned his jacket.

"Did the old man finally let you go?” Antonio asked, as Dick threw the across the backrest of one of the sofas.

"Obviously," Dick said.

He picked up the books that were still lying on the table and held out his hand expectantly until Antonio handed the last one over.

"For some reason he couldn't wait until we're at Flamia to tell me but he also couldn't tell me earlier."

Antonio raised an eyebrow. "That pressing but yet not pressing enough? Intriguing."

Dick went into his bedroom and grabbed a leather bag from one of the trunks, before he replied, sure that Antonio had gotten up to follow him.

"Apparently I'm supposed to court Queen Stress at the ball."

"Queen...Stress. As in the Queen Stress; ruler of Snefjella? The one your father dislikes on a good day?"

"Just the one."

"Haven't there been rumours about her and that Hermit who serves as captain of her guard for years?"

"Well according to my father those are just rumours and it can't be anyways because they're both women and also Captain False isn't noble and a Hermit on top of that."

Dick went back out into the sitting room and grabbed some papers from one of the drawers in his writing desk to join the books.

"Ah, his Majesty's infallible logic at work again," Antonio said sarcastically. "I'm sure to him it makes sense."

"You know how it goes." Dick shrugged. "Never mind that Snefjella has never seen these things the same way he does."

He looked around, he hadn't been able to be as thorough as he wanted to be, but it would have to do. A look to the timepiece told him he had no time for more. He held out the bag to Antonio.

"Can you take this to your family's town house and keep it safe there? I don't want to risk having any of it lying around while I'm gone."

"Won't your father's spies have better things to do? I hear Queen Malika sends her son and even Finis and Oria are sending someone."

"You never know with him."

Antonio took the bag. “I’ll bring it to my mother for safe keeping. She won’t ask questions.”

“Thank you.” Dick nodded. “I’ll meet you at the city gate.”

“Don’t leave without me.”

Dick laughed at Antonio’s grin. “I would never,” he said, and with a wave Antonio disappeared out the door.

Which only left one thing to do.

Dick stepped up to the timepiece, and opened the cabinet below. There was a white sheet folded up on one of the shelves and he took it out now, unfolding it and putting it down next to the timepiece, before he moved the device onto it. It had been the last thing his uncle had made before he had left, and Dick had kept it in his rooms ever since. His father had scoffed when he had found out but he had also said, “Let it remind you of what they took from us.”

Dick had never agreed with him on that. After all, it was his father who had refused to even acknowledge that he had a brother after his departure, and Dick had vowed to do better than the king once he was in a position to.

He shook the thought off and wrapped the timepiece in the cloth and gently placed it inside the cabinet. It would be safe there until he returned.


	4. Chapter 4

Tango and Ramal had travelled as fast as they could from Rhee's farm to Senona. Even if they had a little more time than Impulse and Ex had, they had decided to go to the capital first to meet up with Reem and Kadara and travel together to the king's estate at Flamia. It wouldn't serve for Tango to arrive there in the much humbler get up of a Hermit when he was officially there as the crown prince of his country. There would be clothes befitting his station, as well as his costume for the ball waiting at the embassy.

Tango was glad that he had an excuse not to talk to the guard at the gate because he did eye the Snefjellan style of his clothes when Ramal mentioned who he was, but his title was enough to get them through the gate without further questioning. Ramal led the way through the streets to the embassy, where Reem and Kadara already waited for them in the courtyard.

Reem bowed before him in greeting and Tango rolled his eyes at her before pulling her into a hug.

"Since when do you bow to me?" he asked.

Reem chuckled. "Well, you're officially here as crown prince. Not that you look much like one. You're still the same brat that got my brother into trouble."

"See that's more like it." Tango grinned. "Wouldn't want me to get any ideas after all these years, would you?"

Kadara shook her head with a fond smile before she hugged him, while Reem greeted her brother.

"I hope you didn't have any issues on the road," she said.

Tango smiled at her. "Not more than usual," he said. "Though I don't think the guard at the gate quite believed I am who Ramal said I am."

"Well you don't look much like a djinn right now. Apart from the eyes, but I don't think he'd look at those very well."

Kadara took the arm he offered her, as they followed Reem and Ramal into the building.

"How have you been?" Tango asked. "Still not regretting hanging up your uniform to become a socialite?"

Kadara smirked. "Who says I fully gave up my training and just sit around gossiping?"

"I'm glad. It's always good to know that we have one of the most able fighters in the realm at our backs."

"Your flattery will get you nowhere you should know that." Kadara hit his arm playfully. "But it's good to see you can still be a charming bastard. You'll need it if you want to convince people you're looking for a bride."

He pulled a face. "Don't remind me."

"I already put out some feelers and spread some gossip so you should have more than enough young ladies to occupy your time at the ball."

"You think it will work that well even though I'm a Hermit?"

"Oh there will be some who think it's thrilling. Others will be dreaming about bringing you onto the right path again." Kadara shrugged. "And quite a few will be willing to overlook it due to your title and the power they imagine it would bring their families to marry into the royal family of another country." They stepped out onto the terrace and Reem turned around to them.

"Even the King at least outwardly approves of the noble families trying to marry their daughters to you. It's been rumoured that he thinks he can gain political influence in our court by having the daughter of someone loyal to him at your side."

Tango snorted. "He doesn't understand djinn politics very well, does he?"

"He never cared to learn about the politics of other countries when it didn't benefit him somehow." Reem shrugged.

They sat down around the table and fell silent as a servant brought refreshments.

"What about his son?" Ramal asked. "I've heard a few things about him, but no one really seems to know what he is like."

"The prince is a curious case," Reem said. "He seems to support his father's course. But there are also rumours that he keeps his uncle's memory alive, even when his father refuses to acknowledge he ever had a brother."

"They were close before he left," Tango said thoughtfully. "Even though he never thought he had much influence over his nephew."

"The prince never stopped associating with the circles his uncle moved in," Kadara said. "I think if you get a chance to, you should talk to him. Maybe you can get him to drop some hints at what he actually thinks."

Ramal snorted. "I don't think we should leave that to Tango of all people. Subtlety was never his strong suit."

Tango rolled his eyes at him, doing his best not to give in to the urge to throw something across the table.

"That is true," Reem said, looking like she was trying very hard not to laugh at them. We should probably just see if he does approach you at all."

"I heard that his father wants him to court Queen Stress," Kadara said.

Tango exchanged a look with Ramal, before he said, "Well I wish him good luck with that."

"There have been rumours about Queen Stress and the captain of her guard for a while now." Kadara watched them with keen eyes and Tango shrugged.

"It would have been a wonder if that hadn't made it past the border of Snefjella," he said. "I don't think they've ever been particularly subtle about it."

It was as much of a confirmation as he was willing to give, even to them. They would figure it out, he was sure.

Kadara just nodded as if she had already suspected as much, and they quickly went on to other topics.

It was still afternoon when Impulse and Ex reached the estate of Kadara's friend. They could see it from afar and the architecture betrayed the age of the building. Parts of it looked almost castle-like, and Impulse guessed that that was what they had once been, but over time its function must have changed and new wings had been added that looked a lot more representative. The entire complex was an eccentric sprawling building that looked like parts had been added on as they were needed.

According to Kadara her friend lived here with what she called her family, though most of them were not related to her. Everyone just called her the Duchess. She was a writer, seen as a bit eccentric, but Kadara vouched for her and that had been good enough for all of them.

The gate was wide open when they reached it and they shared a look before they rode through and along the path through the vast park towards the main house.

It was unclear how news of their arrival had reached the house before them, but when they reached the front a red-haired woman in a simple dress was already waiting for them. Even if she hadn't matched the description Kadara gave them, the way she stood somehow made it clear that this was her home.

They got off their horses and Impulse bowed slightly before her, which she accepted with an amused smile.

"You must be Impulse and Ex," she said. "Kadara's friends."

"We are," Impulse said. "You must be...the Duchess."

"Just call me Duchess, everyone does." She stepped down from the stairs, and Impulse realised that she was far smaller than he expected. He had never considered himself particularly tall, especially not compared to some of his fellow hermits, but she just about reached his chin.

"Come on, I'll show you where to put the horses," she said, turning to lead them towards what must be the stables, and Impulse and Ex followed her.

Once they had taken care of the horses they picked up their things and followed Duchess inside the house.

As calm as it had seemed from the outside it was a lot livelier inside. There were voices from a room down the hall that sounded like a group talking, and Impulse could see a cat lie in the sun streaming in through one of the large windows.

Duchess led them up the stairs.

"Kadara said you might have a bunch of wolves with you," she said looking over her shoulder at Impulse.

"They've been travelling alone," Impulse said. "We thought they'd be too noticeable."

"If they can behave themselves and won't attack the other animals they can stay here."

"I'll make sure they're on their best behaviour."

She nodded and turned down a hallway until they reached a door.

"This is yours," she said. "I hope you don't mind sharing."

"It's fine," Ex said.

"I'll leave you to it then. Just come down when you're done and follow the voices, I'll be there."

"Thank you."

Duchess smiled. "I'll see you in a few."

She turned back towards the main stairwell and Impulse pushed the door open and they entered their room.

It was fairly large and there were two beds at least. The big windows face out towards the back of the building and into a beautiful garden. It seemed wild at the first glance, but Impulse could see the careful planning that had gone into it. It reminded him of the garden his mother had kept, just on a larger scale. With a smile he turned away from the window and put down his pack on top of the chest at the foot of one of the beds.

"She doesn't seem too eccentric, does she?" Ex said, one eyebrow raised. "I wonder where that reputation comes from."

Impulse shrugged. "Calling a large group of unrelated people family? Living what seems to be a fairly simple life even with the estate? People always find something."

"That's true."

Ex left his own pack on top of the other bed.

"Well let's freshen up and see what it all is about," he said, taking off his cloak.

Impulse nodded. He couldn't help but be curious himself.

Dick and Antonio arrived at the estate in Flamia with a few days to spare before the big event. Calling it an estate was probably too humble, it was more of a palace, with sprawling grounds good for hunting, and all the amenities the royal court could want. Dick wasn't quite sure why his father had picked it to hold a ball with the kind of royal guests he had invited. It was a bit too out of the way to be considered for anything of the sorts usually. But he had long given up understanding what his father planned, and the king didn't usually concern himself with explaining much of anything to his son.

His mother the queen had already arrived a week prior. Flamia was her favourite palace and she took any excuse to get away from court in Senona. Preparations for a ball had served as one as well as she could have wished for.

Dick went to see her as soon as he arrived. She greeted him with a soft smile and a warm hug.

"I hope your travels went smoothly," she said.

"As smoothly as I could have wished for," Dick said.

"I assume Antonio is with you."

He nodded. "He is just getting settled in. But I'm sure he will be up to something in no time."

"That boy has always had a knack for getting himself into all sorts of shenanigans." The queen shook her head with a fond smile.

"I'll make sure he won't get into too much trouble this time." Dick smiled. "How are the preparations going?"

"Very well. The first of our guests are set to arrive tomorrow. Has your father talked to you yet?"

"About Queen Stress?"

His mother nodded.

"He told me just before we left Senona."

"Queen Stress is a fascinating personality I heard, and the culture she is from is very different from our own. You should remember that when talking to her."

"I will," Dick said. "And I realise her country sees things different."

His mother smiled and reached out to gently squeeze his shoulder. "I am sure you will do us proud."

"I will do my best."

"I am sure you will want to settle in yourself, so go, I will see you at dinner," the queen said, rising from her seat.

"Thank you, mother." Dick followed suit and after another hug from her he left her rooms to go find Antonio. He was sure to come up with something to pass the time.

Stress was tired when they reached Flamia. They had spent six weeks travelling, and it had only served to remind her how boring it was to sit in a carriage all day. Sure, she had had False with her, and she could never tire of her company, but there was only so much even they could do to occupy their time. She was glad when the carriage finally stopped in front of the main entrance to the palace and a servant opened the door for them to step out. Stress ignored the hand offered to her to help her down and stepped onto the cobbled ground, followed by False, who remained a respectful distance behind her as she walked to the front steps where a gently smiling woman who could only be the queen waited for her, accompanied by a young man, who Stress guessed was the crown prince.

Queen Julia was a beautiful woman, her black hair streaked with grey that she did not bother to hide, and which contrasted the friendly look on her face with the air of severity it gave her.

"Welcome to Flamia, your majesty," Queen Julia said. "My husband would have welcomed you personally but he got held up at Senona and we do not expect him before the evening."

"I am honoured by the invitation," Stress said.

"I am sure you must be tired from the journey. My son will be happy to show you to the rooms we prepared for you."

"That would be very much appreciated." Stress smiled, and Prince Dick stepped forward and bowed.

"It will be my pleasure," he said smoothly, and offered her his arm. She took it and stepped inside the palace alongside him.

The prince was charming that much became clear on the way up to her rooms. Much more charming than his father had ever been on the few occasions Stress had met him. They made idle conversation about her journey here, the palace itself, which of the important guests had arrived already. He mentioned that Tango and Ramal had arrived earlier with the djinn ambassador to Pesara and her wife, and the prince seemed curious about whether she had met them before.

"On occasion," she said, trying to evade an outright lie as best as she could. "Captain False handles most of the day to day interactions with the Hermits. I am far too busy myself, so I only talk to Xisuma sometimes. Prince Tango has his own projects that keep him busy."

"He seems fascinating. Not at all what I expected. He appears far more...relaxed about his status than I would have expected."

Stress could hear False mask her snicker with a cough behind them, and sure, she understood why the prince would say that, but at the same time it was funny to think of Tango being anyone other than himself, easy with his laughs and affections, always joking or plotting some sorts of shenanigans with Zed or bickering with Ramal. She was glad that the prince didn't seem to expect her to reply, because she wasn't sure she wouldn't laugh.

"I hope I get the chance to talk to him some more before he leaves," Prince Dick said, before he pointed out a particularly nice painting at the wall and the topic was changed. They had just passed a hallway when they heard a startled yelp from False behind them. They stopped and when they looked back, a tall servant in Alfrian dress was profusely apologising and bowing to her. False smiled sweetly, and reassured him that it was fine. The servant bowed again and quickly walked off, and they continued on their way. Stress hoped she was the only one to notice the quick movement of False's fingers as she slid the note Ex had given her up her sleeve.

They had only been at the palace for a few hours and Tango was already bored out of his mind. Luckily the king hadn't arrived yet, but there still wasn't anything worthwhile to pass his time. Playing card games with Ramal had lost its appeal shortly after leaving Senona, and he didn't have anything to tinker with.

He had felt the quick, gentle brush of Impulse's magic reaching out to soothe his antsiness earlier, so he at least knew that he and Ex had arrived as well. But Ramal and Reem had left to go somewhere and he didn't feel like exploring on his own. Not when all he wanted to find out was where Impulse was.

He almost jumped out of his seat when Kadara closed the book she had been reading and put it down on the table.

"We should go for a walk," she said. "You look like you're ready to bounce off a wall and I can't take it any longer. Besides, it is about time we took a walk anyways."

He raised an eyebrow, but when she got up he followed suit, smoothing out his jacket before he offered her his arm, and they left the rooms.

They walked along the hall and down the stairs, passing False who was giving orders to a few servants, and then they stepped out into the gardens.

They were beautiful, even Tango could admit that. Right behind the palace was an ornate representative garden area, low bushes framing colourful flowerbeds arranged in swirling shapes. The paths around it were framed by high hedges with arches cut into them that led to other areas. At the opposite end was a large fountain, more paths looping around it.

Kadara seemed to know where she wanted to go and turned left at the fountain, gently steering him into an area that was shaded by trees. If Tango remembered the view from the windows of their rooms correctly it merged into a more wooded area, and he guessed behind those came the hunting grounds that the palace was known for.

Kadara took him along looping paths and to any outsider it must have looked like they were just wandering around, enjoying the beauty of the park. Tango could hear voices ahead, talking, and a laugh he would recognise anywhere.

They rounded another bend in the path, and found themselves face to face with another pair of walkers. Tango vaguely saw a small woman with red hair and a simple dark red dress, but he immediately honed in on the man with her, his dark brown hair ever so slightly longer than usual, the black of his clothes looking far more severe than Tango was used to. But his face and his smile was the same as usual; wide and friendly, the fondness in his eyes only barely concealed.

Tango had to bite his tongue to stop himself from beaming at Impulse. Seeing him was like a fresh wind after a hot day, the feeling of home almost overwhelming.

"Duchess, what a surprise to see you here," Kadara said smoothly next to him.

"Kadara," the woman at Impulse's side said. "I had not expected you here."

"Well I thought I should show the prince the gardens while we had time." Kadara let go of his arm, and Tango took a breath before turning slightly to smile at Duchess.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, bowing smoothly.

"The pleasure is all mine, your highness." There was something amused about the curl of her lips, as if she had caught on to his real focus.

"May I introduce you to Lord Sullivan of Alfria? I met him on my travels and invited him to attend this ball with me." She turned to Impulse, "This is Prince Tango of the djinn, and the Lady Kadara, her wife is the djinn's ambassador to Pesara."

"It's a pleasure." Impulse bowed stiffly.

"The pleasure is all ours." Kadara smiled, before she reached out to gently grasp Duchess' arm and drew her a bit to the side, immediately launching into some gossip or other she had heard.

"I have heard much about the wonders of the djinn court on my travels," Impulse said. "And excuse my curiosity your highness, but is it much like the Djinnlands in our dimension?"

"There are similarities," Tango said. "Both can be dangerous if one is inexperienced with survival. But the same can be said about most environments. I have a friend in Finis, who likes to say that the assembly of chieftains can be as hard to survive as the snowstorms of Snefjella."

He could see Impulse work through his words and nod ever so slightly.

"I think your friend must be right. I have heard you live in Snefjella, you must know their snow storms well."

"They can be deadly but they also are beautiful."

"Much like their queen. Or so my manservant tells me. He was terribly embarrassed to tell me that she walked past him with the crown prince earlier and he was so enchanted by her beauty that he startled her lady in waiting who walked behind them."

Tango laughed. "He can count himself lucky. There is more than one Snefjellan lady who is trained to fight."

Impulse chuckled. "I shall tell him that. Maybe it will console him."

They shared a laugh, but before either of them could say anything else there were steps on the path and a moment later Prince Dick came around the bend, a young man by his side. They looked surprised to see them, but quickly caught themselves.

"Prince Tango," Dick said, inclining his head in greeting.

"Prince Dick." Tango could hear Kadara's and Duchess's conversation stop behind them and a moment later Kadara was by his side again.

"Your highness," she said, curtseying.

"Lady Kadara. Duchess." He inclined his head towards them as well and then looked at Impulse. "I apologise, I don't believe we have been introduced yet."

Impulse bowed. "Lord Sullivan of Alfria, your highness," he said. "Duchess was so gracious as to invite me to attend this ball with her."

"I met Lord Sullivan on my recent travels," Duchess said.

"I hope you enjoy your stay in our country," Dick said politely.

"I do. It is beautiful." Impulse smiled. "Your climate is much more agreeable than ours."

"I can imagine."

"If your highness would excuse me and the prince, we would go back to our rooms," Kadara said, "I think the ambassador and her brother are wondering where we have gone for so long."

Prince Dick's face fell ever so slightly, as if he had hoped to talk to them more, but he said, "I wouldn't want to keep you. Give my greetings to Ambassador Reem."

Kadara curtsied again and after Tango had said his goodbyes to the prince, Duchess and Impulse, she took his arm again and they walked away, back towards the palace.

"The crown prince likes you," Kadara said when they were out of earshot. "He clearly wanted to talk to you."

Tango blinked. "Well, it's not like he doesn't know where I am."

Kadara rolled her eyes at him. "Sound a bit more interested."

He just shrugged and they fell silent for a moment. But before they stepped back out onto the main path, he said softly, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Kadara said, smiling gently. "You clearly needed it."

And with a deep breath Tango made sure to hold on to the warm happiness that had made itself comfortable in his heart ever since he had seen Impulse back on that path, and he stepped out onto the main path, the crown prince looking for a wife again.

After he had slipped False his message, Ex had made sure not to be any more noticeable than he had to. He was walking down an empty hallway close to Tango's rooms, still trying to figure out a way to contact Ramal, when a door next to him opened slightly and he was yanked inside.

The defensive stance was a reflex more than anything and he relaxed as soon as he saw who had pulled him inside the room.

Ramal was clearly amused, and Ex rolled his eyes at him before looking around.

The room was small but beautifully decorated, clearly fit for someone at least closely related to the royal family. There was a trunk still open on the floor next to a second door. Ex could hear voices behind it, and he raised an eyebrow at Ramal.

"Tango, my sister and Kadara," he said softly. “The door leads right to the main room of the apartment."

Ex nodded. '

"All good on your end?" He asked.

"Tango's getting bored and moping, but he'll pull through. He's already in a better mood now that we're here. On your side?"

"Yes. I just made contact with False. She and Stress just arrived."

"Good." Ramal nodded, before he smiled and stepped closer, caressing Ex's face with one hand. "How are you?"

Ex smiled. "I'm good. I've been doing as much scoping out of the palace as I could. Figured out where everyone's rooms are. The usual you know?"

He realised he was missing the point when Ramal only raised an eyebrow.

"Oh," he said, chuckling, before he gently pulled Ramal closer and bent down a little to kiss him.

Ramal was smiling when their lips met, but it was quickly gone when he deepened the kiss. Ex wrapped his arms around Ramal, holding him close, the soft fabric of his formal clothes sliding under his fingers, while Ramal's hand moved to the back of his neck, holding him in place. A sigh escaped his lips, the feeling of being home too overwhelming to be held in, and he could feel Ramal's other hand gently squeeze his shoulder. It was dangerous, he realised, anyone might walk in and see them, almost definitely blowing their cover, but he hadn't seen Ramal in weeks and he couldn't make himself care.

They jumped apart when there was a knock on the door to the main room, and a moment later it opened and Tango stuck his head in.

"Ramal?" He said but then he saw them and smirked. "You're occupied, I see. Reem asks when you're done here."

"I'll be right out," Ramal said, taking a deep breath.

"Don't let us rush you." Tango grinned, but he closed the door again, and they could hear the sounds of the muffled conversation he had with Reem and Kadara.

"I should go," Ramal said, but he made no move to step away.

"You should." Ex nodded, but instead of moving away he pulled him in again for another short kiss. "I'll see you around."

Ramal smiled. "Don't get caught."

"When do I ever?"

"Oh I can think of a few times." Ramal laughed softly and Ex leaned in for another kiss.

"I'll see you in a couple days," he promised, the prospect of their trip to see Ramal's mother after the ball suddenly that much more exciting.

"Yes." Ramal smiled and after a final kiss to his cheek he stepped away and quickly disappeared through the door to join the others, while Ex took a deep breath and after listening at the door to the hallway for a moment and a quick peek out, he slipped back into the hallways and disappeared among the servants.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the updated tags. It's not described in too much detail, but if you want to skip skip the bit from "Ex himself had spent a lot of time in his childhood doing that. " to the next big paragraph break and start again at "Ex shook his head now."

The morning of the ball dawned with beautiful sunshine. Tango had one of the large windows in his room open and sat on his bed, looking outside, watching the sun rise. He hadn't been awake for long, but he'd been too restless to sleep again. He could hear the rest of the palace slowly wake, the first servants moving around, the gardeners outside talking lowly among themselves as they went about their work.

He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, Impulse's magic an easy to find presence connected to him through their soulbond. It felt sluggish and sleepy and Tango took care not to disturb him too much, just basking in the connection for a moment before he gently pulled back away, feeling more settled and calm.

He opened his eyes again went back to considering what he could see of the gardens through the window. He knew Impulse's wolves were out there somewhere, laying low just in case he needed their help, and he wished he could go see them. But he needed to focus.

Ex had provided them all with the general layout of the park if only to make sure they all knew the best escape routes, and Tango went over them in his head now, matching up what he could with the parts he had seen the day before.

It distracted him from how much he wished Impulse could be with him right now. He could almost see it in front of him, Impulse stretched out naked and still asleep, the sheets exposing his skin, paler than Tango's even after spending enough time outside in summer to develop a slight tan.

With a sigh he gave up and lay back down and closed his eyes, embracing the image. Impulse's skin would feel smooth under his touch, he knew, and he would be pliant and soft, smiling gently when he woke up to Tango's caresses. He still wasn't a morning person, would never be, but there was something about him in the morning that took Tango's breath away whenever he got to see him.

In his daydream Impulse rolled over onto his back and Tango followed the movement, leaning in until he could kiss him gently, moving on top of him, even as Impulse wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him close, smiling into the kiss.

The sheets were still between them, but Impulse wrapped his legs around-

There was a knock on the door and Reem called out to him to get up and Tango opened his eyes with a heavy sigh. He stared at the ceiling for a moment trying to chase the daydream from his mind, before there was another knock.

"I'm up," he called.

He sighed again and finally got out of bed to walk to the small bathroom. Reality was better than a dream anyways.

Dick hadn't expected to meet Prince Tango out in the gardens when he had decided to go for a walk, so he was surprised to see him standing by one of the elaborate fountains his mother had had installed. He was studying it curiously, eyes trailing over the grotto scene with its nymphs and water spirits. He considered stopping to talk to him, but had already decided not to disturb him when Tango heard his steps and turned.

"Prince Dick," he said, clearly surprised. "I didn't expect to meet you here. I thought you would be kept busy."

Dick smiled. "I am sure my mother will find something for me to do before long. I just thought I would enjoy the day while I could."

Tango laughed. "I can imagine," he said. "I would do the same in your position."

There was mirth in his eyes, but Dick had a feeling there was something else as well, like a fond memory. He was sure the djinn prince had been in this situation more than once.

Dick turned to look at the fountain. Tango's eyes were fascinating, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He had met Ambassador Reem and the Lady Kadara often enough to know it was a djinn trait that reflected their magic. But there was something about Tango that was different from them, a complexity Dick hadn't seen before.

It was as if he was always inwardly laughing at some private joke, but at the same time there was something soft and gentle, something that told of someone who was resting in himself, content with what he had and sure that he was not going to lose it. Dick had heard that he was looking for a bride, someone to become queen by his side, and he was sure that whoever it would be would be a lucky woman, even if he doubted that the match would be quite what his father and the noble families of Pesara were expecting. Tango didn't seem like someone who was easily influenced by those around him. His eyes told of that too, something about the flames dancing in them telling of a headstrong character.

He had to be Dick guessed. Everyone knew he had left his mother's court and his country despite his position, even if none of the details were known. No one had heard of him until he had joined the Hermits, and there were many rumours about what he had been up to. All that was known was that he hadn't returned to the djinn court for years, but that his mother had reaffirmed his position as crown prince practically as soon as he had come back. There had been a lot of talk when it had become clear that despite being the heir he was staying with the Hermits. Dick's father had turned up his nose when he had heard, saying something derisive about how the djinn queen had never been quite right in her mind and how it was clear that the crown prince had been misled to believe the Hermits wouldn't use him to extend their influence from Snefjella's weak queen to the djinn court in the South.

But after meeting Queen Stress and Tango Dick wasn't so sure about that. Stress seemed anything but weak, delicate maybe, but too well trained a politician to be fooled easily. And Tango seemed too sure of himself to allow someone to trick him into giving up his power and the sovereignty of his people.

"I know you knew… know my uncle. I haven't had news from him in a while. I was wondering if you had heard more," he finally said. The question had burned under his nails since he had heard that Tango would attend the ball.

He remembered the day his uncle had left his father's court, how he had hugged him goodbye with one of his signature smiles before he had turned away, hefting his pack onto his shoulder, and gone with Tango and the other man with him, who had stood tall, the hood of his cloak obscuring the green skin and the metal on his face, a trident strapped to his back where he could access it easily. Both of them were clearly familiar with a life on the road and having to fight.

He had just barely been able to see the grim expression on the tall man’s face, Doc his uncle had called him. It was contrasted by the serious yet easy-going expression on Tango’s face as he grinned at Dick’s uncle and slung an arm around his shoulders and walked towards their horses with him, the two of them already laughing about something together, and even the edge of Doc’s mouth perking up a little before he turned and followed them. The king had stopped acknowledging that he had ever had a brother within the hour of his departure.

He could feel Tango watch him now, before he said, "I wish I had news for you, but no one has heard from your uncle in years, not even the one closest to him."

"But you don't think he is dead."

"We don't," Tango said.

Dick nodded. "Thank you."

"He would be glad to hear that you still honour what he did here."

"I learned a lot from him before he left, and even after he was gone." Dick paused, before he continued, "I hope wherever he is he's safe."

"You're not the only one."

They lapsed into silence for a moment, both of them deep in thought, before Tango said, "So tell me about this. It looks like it is telling a story, but I don't think it is one I have heard."

Dick took a deep breath before he started, pointing out the different statues and explaining who they showed and how they were all connected, Tango nodding along and asking questions where he wanted to know more, as if he was trying to commit the story to memory.

One story lead to another and by the time the servant his mother had sent for him found them they were deep in a discussion about Pesaran folk tales.

By the time they needed to start getting ready for the ball False was bored out of her mind and ready to just grab the next sword she could find and whack King Dick over the head with it until he came to his senses. The day so far had been a seemingly endless number of mindless amusements, from the breakfast with the queen and her ladies in waiting and the walk through the park that had followed it, to the formal lunch with the king and his guests of high rank, the only saving grace of which had been Tango, who had looked like he was just as bored as False had been, and had decided to have his fun with well-placed barbs and hidden jokes only a select few got. It had taken a lot not to laugh out loud, and she had caught Stress struggling to keep her composure more than once, even as Ramal had thrown Tango looks begging him to stop.

Prince Dick had taken them on another walk in the afternoon, this one a tad more entertaining as he had brought his friend Antonio along to keep False company. Antonio had been charming and they had soon realised that they found the way Dick tried to subtly flirt with Stress without overstepping any boundaries rather amusing, especially after Antonio explained to False that they had heard the rumours that Stress was involved with a woman and Dick was mostly trying to do just enough to satisfy his parents' wishes.

But now they were back in their rooms and Stress had already kicked off her shoes and had let herself fall onto a bench.

"So what do you think of the Prince?" False asked as she sat down next to her.

"It's cute how he tries to be charming but it's obvious that he doesn't want to go anywhere wif it."

"Antonio told me they heard about us and he's trying just enough to get his parents off his back."

"At least he's sweet about it." Stress sighed and gave False's hand a quick squeeze. "Just the evening and we can leave tomorrow and go back home."

"I know," False said. "We better start getting ready."

"Just a moment to rest my feet. We have that much time."

"We do."

False smiled and they leaned into each other, not enough to cause anyone to suspect who False was should they get caught, but enough to satisfy their need to be close for the moment.

Duchess looked stunning in her red dress. Roses were embroidered onto the corset, and the golden accents looked nice with her red hair. She was wearing a mask that looked like the nibble of a fountain pen, a nod to her work as a writer. Impulse felt almost a little plain, dressed up as an alchemist as he was. He had altered the outfit slightly to include a belt and a sash holding a number of potion bottles, much realer than he would openly admit, but also far more practical than a costume would normally be. He and Ex had discussed it with Grian for a while before they had settled on it. The need to be prepared for whatever might come had won out in the end, and the mask Cleo had made to go with it was almost a little understated, picking up the muted shades of gold and green of the clothes.

He had to stop a snicker when they watched Tango walk in with Ramal by his side. Ramal himself was dressed as a djinn scholar, but Tango's costume had been picked by Malika, and she had deemed it appropriate to have him dressed all in dark reds and gold, the neckline of his top going down far enough to show most of his chest while keeping him just covered enough to not cause a scandal. But it was the mask that went with it that amused Impulse the most. It was golden, and even from a distance Impulse could vaguely see the intricate design adorning it. But the most striking thing were the horns curling at the sides of it, framing Tango's face, golden chains woven around them. Together with his red eyes and his pointy canines they made him look like the Nether demon some people believed the djinn to be. He could imagine Tango's face when he had first seen it, the roll of his eyes at his mother's theatrics. It was a costume made as much to sell his story of looking for a bride as it was to subtly warn off any potential suitors, though Impulse was sure the latter would be lost on most of the young ladies giggling in a corner and not so subtly eyeing him up already.

Tango and Ramal joined Reem and Kadara, both of them turning heads in their matching silver and blue ensembles, their masks picking up the main colours of each other's dresses.

Stress was a bit more conservatively representative in her pale magenta dress, her mask glittering with ice crystals, the flowers in her hair looking like jewellery, but more likely being actual frozen flowers.

False behind her had based her dress on the much more war-like depictions of one of Snefjella’s old heroes, a shield maiden who had been called so many names over time that no one quite remembered what she had actually been called. The dress itself was held in grey, with small metal plates sewn onto it like scales. There was a metal spaulder around one of her shoulders and her skirt, while still modest enough for an official function, was cut to maximise her mobility should she need it.

The entire ball was an elaborate affair. The Pesaran king clearly had spared no expense, from the lavish decorations to the delicacies waiting on trays for the guests to eat. Duchess made her rounds around the room, her hand on Impulse’s arm. She would smile sweetly at her fellow nobles and introduce him, stopping a few moments to make small talk, but as soon as they had moved on she would privately tell him about how much of a bore everyone was.

“You don’t particularly like any of them, do you?” Impulse asked amusedly after the fifth or so time it had happened.

“Most of them don’t particularly like me either. I’m the odd one, preferring to spend most of my time away from court and the capital.” She shrugged. “I would rather live with my family than have to talk to these people every day.”

“Well I hope I make up for the bad company then.”

Duchess laughed. “More than. I like a little bit of excitement and you have provided more than enough of it already. Now come on, there are a few more people I would like to introduce you to.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief and he followed her, trying not to laugh as she steered him towards the next group of people.

Ex was perched up on a window ledge high above the party. He was lucky that the room was built the way it was with its first floor open balcony, the second floor where the guards were keeping watch, and the top layer windows where Ex had found a spot to sit and spend the evening. No one could reach him up here, he knew, not unless they could teleport up here like he had done. He had a whole array of invisibility potions by his side, though he doubted he would need them all. Not with no one looking up. He sighed almost silently and leaned his head against the wall as he watched the people moving around below him. It was a good thing that growing up in the End he had never developed a fear of heights. The movement of the crowd below reminded him of the Void, the way it could mesmerise whoever was staring into it, until it felt like there wasn’t anything wrong with taking just one more step off the end stone island, because surely it would catch you.

Ex himself had spent a lot of time in his childhood doing that. Hours upon hours of sitting too close to the ledge and staring out into the Void, wondering if it really would catch him. It wasn’t like his parents cared, he had thought to himself, and Xisuma was too busy being the prodigal son to care what his twin brother got up to in his free time.

It hadn’t been supposed to be like this. Twins were common in the End, said to contain a single spirit that had been too complex to become one person, but as common as they were they were still seen as special. They usually were given the same name, even if at least one of them would eventually add something to it, and parents were supposed to love both of them equally and make sure they had the same opportunities to develop. But their parents had never been capable of that. Ex had learned early on that he was worth less than his brother; that he was bad somehow and a disappointment, even when he had done nothing wrong to warrant that kind of treatment. The worst part had been that no one had questioned them, and Ex had never learned to question it either. When he had started calling himself Evil everyone had just accepted it and it had become yet another way in which he fulfilled their parents' expectations.

Xisuma had been the only one who never treated him as less than he was; had always accepted him as his equal, and Ex had never understood why. He had never shown any of the ways he was being mistreated to him. After all he had deserved it and Xisuma was only nice to him because he pitied him.

Little had he known that Xisuma had not known the full extent of what Ex had to put up with. He had seen that their parents didn't treat him the same and that they didn't like it when he spent too much time with him, and as any kid would he had hidden his love for Ex so he didn't disappoint their parents. But unlike Ex he had started questioning it as he got older. And unbeknownst to Ex he had watched and planned and organised.

Ex remembered the day that had changed everything in vivid detail. It had been especially bad, their parents sneering at him from the moment they had laid eyes on him after he got up. They had told him that day that they wanted him gone from their house by the end of the week, never to bother them or his brother ever again. They hadn't even cared what he would do or where he would go, and Ex had gone numb. He had wanted to pack his things but they had told him that he had things to do before he could go, and by the end of his list of chores he had been too exhausted to get much more done. He had sat at his usual spot, staring into the Void, and for the first time he had actually actively considered making that final step.

He had been close, very close, to doing it when his brother had found him.

Xisuma had taken one look at him and sat down next to him, and asked, “What have they done?”

Ex had snarled at him. “What’s it to you?” he had asked. “Just leave me alone. I won’t be your problem much longer.”

“What do you mean?” Xisuma’s eyes had widened in shock, and for a moment Ex had considered not telling him, but he had reached his breaking point and before he could stop himself it had broken out of him.

“I mean that I will be gone by the end of the week, and I won’t come back to bother you. I don’t have a place here, not with them, not with you, so I’ll finally take the hint and just leave.”

Xisuma’s eyes had widened a little more, and then they had shifted to something angrier when he had understood.

“They kicked you out.” It wasn’t a question, just an observation, and all of a sudden Ex had been scared of his brother for the first time.

“It’s nothing less than what I deserve,” he had said, looking away, unable to look at Xisuma anymore.

“Bullshit.” And Ex had never heard his brother swear. Not like this, not like he was so angry he could barely hold himself back. “They’re wrong. You deserve better than what they’ve given you all our lives.” He had taken a deep breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t act earlier, brother. I should have stepped in the moment I realised they weren’t treating you like they should. But I’m not letting them get away with this.”

He had gotten up and extended a hand towards Ex. “Come on. This ends now.”

Ex hadn’t dared to deny him, and when he had taken the hand Xisuma had pulled him to his feet and wrapped him in a tight hug.

“I’m not giving up on you, brother,” he had said. “Whatever happens, I will always love you.”

Ex had only nodded. He hadn’t trusted his voice; hadn’t dared to dispute Xisuma.

He had followed him quietly to the house they had grown up him, never a real home to Ex, but the only one he had known.

Xisuma had confronted their parents, his anger cold and fierce, and he had told them that they were both leaving; that they were going away never to return. Their parents had tried to argue, had tried to blame Ex for it; had accused him of taking Xisuma from them, but Xisuma had taken none of it. He had told them that they were the only ones to blame for this, and then he had turned to Ex and taken his hand and said, “Let’s go get our things.”

As it had turned out there was very little left to pack, because Xisuma had already taken care of most of it. When Ex had looked confused he had shrugged and said, “I was going to ask you to leave with me soon, they just sped it up a little.”

It had been the first moment Ex had almost let himself believe that Xisuma meant what he said; that he truly loved him and was there to support him. He had packed what little possessions he had to take, and then Xisuma had taken his hand and they had walked out through the front door and down the street. Neither of them had looked back again.

Ex shook his head now. Luckily he wasn’t prone to thinking about jumping anymore. They had found a better family, one that loved and supported them. And Ex… Ex had also found Ramal. Ramal whose soul was connected to his. Ramal who had always known there was something in his past that made him doubt even their bond sometimes, but who had never pushed and who was quietly there when Ex needed a reminder that he was not going to leave. Ramal who hadn’t judged when Ex had told him about his childhood, but who had exhibited a similar quiet rage as Xisuma had, and who had translated that rage into holding him close and kissing him fiercely and telling him that he was here to stay. He caught a glimpse of him far down below, dancing with Reem, and he smiled, even as he focused back on observing the ball. He could just about see a gaggle of women surrounding Tango, who gave them his most charming smile; and on the opposite side of the room he could see Impulse pass by, Duchess at his side. They stopped when someone called out to them, and a moment later Kadara stepped up to them. They shared a laugh, and Ex couldn’t help but be impressed by how well Impulse stuck to his role as the reserved Alfrian noble, especially considering how much he smiled and laughed usually. He could see Stress dance past with the crown prince. Impulse said something to Duchess and Kadara and bowed to them, before he crossed the room to talk to someone standing close to a wall, and a moment later he stepped onto the dance floor with False, making polite conversation.

So far it didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary was about to happen, and Ex relaxed slightly against the side of the window behind him. He chanced a look outside, just to see what was going on out there, and for a moment everything seemed in order. But then he spotted a movement in the dark, wrong for ball guests on a leisurely stroll outside, he pressed an ear to the window, shielding his other one from the sounds from below. He strained to hear anything, but there was a sound just at the edge of his hearing range. A very faint rattling that made a shiver run down his spine.

The movement came closer he realised, and he quickly downed another invisibility potion, before he grabbed the bag with the rest of them and teleported away to the opposite window.

He wasn’t a moment too late, because he had barely caught himself from falling down, when there was an eerie tap at the window he had just left and something pushed against the glass, shattering it like it was nothing and hell broke loose.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I wrote this all in one day because it flowed so well and because I am incapable of waiting you already get another chapter!  
> I uh hope I'll finish the next one this weekend. You'll know why by the end of it.

One moment Impulse was dancing with False, the next there was a loud crash from above their heads and something fell into the middle of the room.

He was suddenly glad about the increased hours of combat training Wels had insisted on before their departure, because he and False both reacted instinctively. He had already pulled out a potion from his belt and smashed the bottle on the floor by the time several more forms dropped from the ceiling and he recognised the chilling rattle of bones.

"Wither skeletons," he said, cursing under his breath. "Where's Stress?"

"Outside on the balcony with the prince," False said grimly. "I'll go help her."

"I'm sending you back up as soon as they get here."

She nodded and a moment later she was already running towards the balcony doors.

It didn't take much more than a thought for Impulse to call the pack, but they were a few minutes out, so he had no choice but to settle in and wait.

There was the faint vwhoop of Ex teleporting next to him.

"You good?" Impulse asked.

"I still got a bunch of potions left. I didn't see them until it was too late."

"Never mind that. It can't be helped now." He pulled another potion bottle free, holding it out towards Ex.

"Take this," he said. "It should give you enough regeneration to ward off the worst of their wither powers."

The bottle disappeared as Ex took it and a moment later there was the sound of him uncorking and drinking it.

Impulse surveyed the room. He spotted Kadara herding people towards the closest exit, and Tango and Ramal turning around from where they had done the same, exchanging grim looks as they walked towards the centre of the room, flames already dancing around Tango's hands.

A moment later the window behind Impulse shattered and the wolves closed rank around him and Ex.

Tango dropped the bow and arrows she had been carrying for him at his feet, and he quickly patted her head as he picked it up.

"I'll go do what I can while they can't see me," Ex said, and Impulse had barely managed to nod before Ex teleported again with another vhwoop. He split the wolves, sending three out after False, while Kaya, Flip and Skizz broke off towards Tango and Ramal, who already were a blur of fire and wind in the thick of it. And then he calmed his breath and started to shoot.

Tango had cursed the moment he had realised what exactly had just dropped down onto their heads.

"I thought they had only stolen skulls," he said to Ramal, who appeared besides him in a blur of wind.

"That's what the guard thought." Ramal looked grim, but he didn't say more while he helped Tango herd everyone around them towards the closest door. A few of the young women looked as scared of him as they did of the wither skeletons, who were just starting to move their rattling bones to get closer to the living around them, but Tango couldn't bring himself to care. There were more important things to focus on, and the moment he turned away from them he was already summoning flames to his hands. Ramal was by his side and he spotted Impulse a little to the side, his mouth moving, and a bottle vanishing from his hand. So Ex was accounted for at least. He couldn't see Stress or False, but there was not much he could do about that either.

And then they had reached the centre of the room, the wither skeletons suddenly focussing on them. Tango let a slightly feral grin slip onto his face, even as he hit the first of them with a burst of flame, while Ramal became a blur next to him.

Ramal was about to land another blow on the skeleton when a wolf jumped in from the side, knocking it over and strong jaws closed around the brittle bones with a loud crunch, severing the skull from the body. Ramal nodded to the wolf even as it moved on, adding to the chaos of the fight around them with its siblings. Arrows started flying not long after, Impulse providing back up from the sides.

One of the wolves peeled off towards where the king and queen were still standing in shock, several skeletons advancing on them already, and Ramal cursed before he followed hot on the animal's heels.

The wolf guarded the King and Queen, growling at the skeletons, but it knew it was outnumbered, and Ramal jumped in in a blur of precise strikes, gusts of wind sharp like blades cutting through the bones, before his feet even touched the ground again, crushing a skull under his weight.

"Your highnesses should go," he said, one eye on their surroundings even as he looked at them. "Let those who know how to deal with this handle it."

The King looked enraged by his words, but Queen Julia nodded seriously and took her husband's arm.

"If you see my son, please take care of him. He doesn't know," she said, not waiting for a reply before she pulled her husband towards a concealed servants' entrance in the wall.

Ramal quickly turned back to the main fight just to see another pair of skeletons coming towards him. But before he could react an arrow severed what held the skull and the spine together, burning bright with the flames Tango had added to it as it had passed him, and the second skeleton fell under an invisible blow.

"Show offs," Ramal said, rolling his eyes, and he heard Ex laugh softly before he teleported and wreaked havoc on the other side of the room, helping the wolves who were with Impulse to keep his back free after dropping a few arrows next to him.

The fight was pretty much done, Ramal realised, even as he cut off and crushed a few more skulls from their bony shoulders, working in tandem with the wolf by his side.

By the time they had reached Tango again, the last of the skeletons had crumbled to the floor, burning brightly, and Impulse was coming towards them.

"Where are Stress and False?" Tango asked him, looking grim.

"Outside. With the prince. I sent three of the wolves to back them up."

Tango nodded, and they only had to exchange a look before they started towards the balcony doors, hoping they wouldn't find anything worse than in here.

False had hoped there would be nothing going on outside and that the attack was only focussed on the ball room itself, but the moment she set foot outside she knew her hopes were in vain.

Stress was by the balustrade, the prince next to her, looking wide-eyed but determined, even as Stress skewered a skeleton with a spike of ice.

False only stopped on her way towards them to pick up a sword from one of the fallen skeletons. It was old and rusty, and in worse condition than she liked but it would have to do.

Things turned into a bit of a blur after that, as she twisted and turned, hacking bones to pieces, Stress's ice around her, three of Impulse's wolves joining her.

Her sword broke under the force of her last blow, meeting with a solid wall of ice on the other side, effectively pinning the skeleton to it. She turned around, a little out of breath and her eyes found Stress's.

"Are you okay," she asked.

"I'm fine," Stress said with a nod. "Where are the others?"

"Inside, last I saw them." But before she could say more there was a bark and six more wolves came out of the building, followed by Tango, Impulse and Ramal.

Tango took a look at the crumbled skeletons, before he and Ramal wordlessly started crushing what skulls were left intact under their feet.

Impulse nodded, before he joined Stress and False, a concerned look in his eyes as he checked for any obvious injuries.

"We're both fine, you can stop worrying," False said, and Impulse shot her a smile.

"It comes with the field," he said, before looking at Dick. "Are you okay, too?"

Dick looked confused and a little overwhelmed but he nodded.

False narrowed her eyes at him. "So what were you up to, taking Stress out here just when there was an attack?" she asked, letting her usual command tone bleed into her voice. It felt good not to have to play the demure lady in waiting anymore.

"I…" the prince started, but he was cut off by Ramal.

"The prince isn't involved in any of this," he said. "His mother confirmed that much to me."

"What is going on?" Prince Dick asked, looking between them.

"We don't have time for the long version right now, but someone in Pesara is attempting to sow war between Pesara and Snefjella over its support of the Hermits," Tango said. "I can give you a choice right now. You can stay here, or you can come with us and try to unravel this mess." There were shouts from inside, the sounds of guards running, and Tango added, "You should decide quickly though."

"Tango…" Impulse started, doubt clear on his face.

"No he's right," Ex's voice said from the dark, clearly startling the prince, who looked around with wide eyes. "The prince should come with us. He might be able to shed light on some things."

Dick took a deep breath. "I'll come with you," he said. "Follow me, I'll get us past the guards undetected."

Tango nodded, satisfied, and stepped back to let him pass.

False stayed by Stress's side as they followed, Ramal behind them.

"Ex?" she heard him ask lowly.

"I'm right here," Ex said. "I still got a few minutes before it wears off."

"You're okay?"

"I'm fine. Really."

False had to smile. She could hear the roll of Ex's eyes in his voice, even as he tried to hide his fondness. But then she focused on what was in front of them, the wolves guarding their flanks even as Dick led them through the dark park.

They didn't stop until they had left the land belonging to the palace itself and Dick had led them into the forest, but eventually False called for a stop.

"We need to change clothes," she said at Dick's unsure look. "This is slowing us down unnecessarily."

Ex nodded behind her. "Give me a moment, I have an Enderchest on me," he said, reaching into his satchel, and pulling out a box, a smaller version of the Enderchests they kept around the Hermitage.

It got larger when he placed it down, grown to its normal size by the time False stepped up to it and opened it first, quickly pulling out her pack, before stepping away again and making room for everyone else.

They all stepped up to it one by one getting their emergency packs out. Impulse pulled a satchel out along with it, unable to stop from smiling as his fingers felt the corners of the small potions kit he carried inside.

He and Tango exchanged a look as they stepped behind a bush and put down their packs, quickly and methodically grabbing their usual travel clothes.

Impulse stepped in when they were both done, reaching up and untying the mask Tango was still wearing and raising it from his face. It was lighter than it looked, and he held it in one hand as he trailed a hand over his chest, sighing as he put his hand over where Tango's heart beat strongly in his chest.

"It's a pity I never got to enjoy this properly," he said.

Tango laughed softly. "I'm sure that can be arranged," he said, before he removed Impulse's mask for him and brushed a thumb over his cheekbone. "I missed you."

Impulse smiled and tightly wrapped his arms around him as he said, "I missed you, too."

For a moment they stood like that, before Impulse released Tango with another sigh and stepped back.

"Come on. Let's get changed. We can't stay here too long."

Tango nodded and they did their best to be quick about it, but they both couldn't stop throwing each other looks in between, catching each other as they trailed their eyes over exposed skin. Before they stepped back to where the others were already waiting, Tango pulled Impulse into a short kiss.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," Impulse replied, smiling as he stepped around the bush again, tightening the belt that held his bow and arrows in place around his hips so it didn't interfere with his sword.

He caught Ramal's eyes as he dropped his pack to the floor, raising an eyebrow at his smirk.

"We didn't take that long," he said.

"Unlike you we didn't get to sneak around," Tango added, unable to hide his grin.

"Oh so they did sneak around," Impulse grinned as well. "I wondered why Ex was in such a good mood all of a sudden."

"I caught them red handed."

Impulse laughed.

"Boys," Stress said, shaking her head. "Come on we need to get going."

Impulse nodded and they quickly put away what they didn't need before Ex picked up the Enderchest again, which shrunk to its smaller size in his hand and was quickly put away in his satchel.

"Which way do we go?" Ex asked.

"North into Finis. If we can get to one of the southern chieftains we can use Rhee's name and ask for help," Tango said, but Dick shook his head.

"My father will expect you to go North or South. Those are the most logical options for you."

"He's right," Ramal said. "North is our direct way home, and south leads us to the Djinnlands. Those routes are closed to us for now."

"East then," False said. "Walk around Finis and approach Snefjella from the Alfrian border.

"That sounds like our best option," Impulse agreed. But then he noticed the frown on Ex's face. "Ex? What's going on?"

"There is something. A few miles west from here. Feels like old magic."

Impulse frowned and reached out, stretching his abilities as far as they would go.

"Whatever it is, it's not alive," he said finally. "I feel nothing that way."

"It's a bit underground, in a cave I think. But that's all I can tell."

"I'll go check," Impulse said, "If you need to move I'll find you."

Tango nodded, and Impulse let out a short whistle, calling Tango to his side. She sat down in front of him, looking up and he smiled at her, as he reached out asking for her permission to enter.

A moment later he shook his head, and rose to his paws, wagging his tail at Tango once before he turned around and set off westwards towards whatever it was Ex had felt, leaving his human body behind in the arms of his soulmate.

Tango caught Impulse's body easily as he slipped into Tango's mind.

"This will be a couple minutes, we better start walking in that direction," he said as he slipped one arm under Impulse's knees and almost cradled his body to his chest.

He smiled at Dick's confused expression.

"Impulse is a witch. The wolves are his familiars. He'll be back eventually."

He looked to Ex, who nodded and took the lead, starting out in the same direction as Impulse had.

Tango didn't quite know how long they had walked before Impulse stirred in his arms, and Tango appeared between the trees ahead, but his arms tightened around him for a second while Impulse shook off the feeling of becoming a wolf and switching back to being human again.

"I'm good," he finally said, and Tango gently sat him back down on the ground. He held onto him for a moment, as he said, "I found the cave. It's about two miles ahead. There's a broken Nether portal inside. Not a new one though. It looks like it hasn't been in use in a long time."

Tango exchanged a look with Ramal.

"I've never heard of a portal this far North," Tango said.

"Neither have I," Ramal agreed.

"Is that bad?" Dick looked between them and Tango shrugged.

"Could mean a lot of things. Not all good not all bad."

Impulse shook his head at them before he turned to Dick and explained, "It's not widely known how to create Nether portals, but the Djinn aren't the only ones who know how to travel between the Nether and the Overworld. So that portal could have been created by a non-Djinn to travel to the Nether."

"Let's check it out," Tango said. "If we can make it work somehow and travel through the Nether I think we should consider that as an option."

"It would definitely get them off our tail," False said, even as they started walking again. "But is it worth the risk? The Nether is dangerous enough if you know where you are, but without knowing where we would end up? And too far away from any lodestone to guide us."

Tango was about to argue when Impulse stilled next to him.

"We might not have a choice," he said, before he drew his bow, nocked an arrow and turned, all in one fluid movement, letting it fly just as two of the wolves jumped past him.

The arrow embedded itself in the forehead of yet another wither skeleton, and the wolves killed two more. They stood at the edge of the trees, scenting the air, but Impulse called them back and they came.

"There's more in the forest," he said grimly. "We'll have to go to the cave and we should do it fast."

The others nodded, and led by Tango and Kaya, as well as Ex they started walking again, though at a much brisker pace than before.

It wasn't long before they reached the cave Impulse had found, and the wolves quickly scouted it out before Impulse gave the clear for them to enter. Tango summoned a flame to his palm, enough for them to see where they were going and they followed Impulse inside.

The cave wasn't deep, and it opened into a small cavern. At its centre stood the portal, unlit and with a piece missing, several other parts of the structure leaking something purplish. It was surrounded by a patch of nether rack and a small pool of lava.

"Well this complicates things," Ramal muttered as it came into view.

"But it doesn't make them impossible," Tango said, as he put down his pack.

Ramal raised an eyebrow. "No one has ever made a corrupted portal work."

"No ordinary djinn, no." Tango smiled. "But it can be done."

"How?"

"It's not general knowledge, but my mother taught me how to do it."

"Then we still need to replace the missing part."

"Stop arguing and get to work," Impulse said, rolling his eyes.

"How are we stopping anyone from following us?" Stress asked.

Tango grinned. "We'll blow up the cave entrance and the portal." He turned to Ex, "Can we get the Enderchest out again?"

Ex nodded and pulled it back out and placed it down. Tango dug through it for a moment before he pulled out a shulker and handed it to Impulse.

"Special gift from Cub in case we need it."

Impulse raised an eyebrow and peeked inside.

"So that's what he needed all that sand for," he said.

"I'll need a fire resistance potion, just in case, and then could you prepare the explosives?"

Impulse nodded, before he dug the potion out and got to work.

Tango chugged it down, putting the glass bottle back into Impulse's satchel before he approached the portal.

"So how are you going to do this?" Ramal asked, curious.

"Fix the hole first. The crying obsidian can't be fully repaired, and I don't want to risk it breaking before we can go through." He turned to Stress. "Can you get me some ice? I'll fill the hole with lava, but I need water to turn it into obsidian."

Stress nodded and rolled up the sleeves of her sweater. "Just tell me when you're ready."

Tango plunged his hands into the lava pool, hissing at the heat. He was resistant to fire and heat, but lava was a whole different beast. He wouldn't burn, he knew that, but it always took a bit to get used to. He waited a moment to adjust to the temperature, before he focused his magic a little and formed the piece he needed, lifting a dripping chunk of lava out of the pool.

"I'll put it in place and let go and when I say now I need you to cover it in ice," he said to Stress, who only nodded.

He put the chunk of lava in the empty space and let go, concentrating on his powers to keep it from melting back into the puddle.

"Now," he said.

The lava was covered in ice only a moment later, but he didn’t release his control until he felt it slip as the ice melted into water and hardened the lava to obsidian.

"That's it," he said, and the ice receded.

"I didn't realise you could control lava as well," Stress said.

"It takes effort. I'm not sure how it works, but it does." He shrugged. "Anyways. Now to stabilise the crying obsidian enough to get the portal working."

"You need me for that too?"

He smiled. "No. But thank you for the help."

Ramal stepped up to him. "So how does one stabilise crying obsidian?"

"With a lot of magic." Tango smiled grimly. "I can dry it out temporarily. Just enough to make the portal work for everyone to go through."

Ramal was silent for a moment before he quietly said, "Are you sure you have enough magic left?"

"I have to," Tango said just as quietly. "You heard Impulse. It's our only choice."

"I hope you know what you're doing." Ramal sighed. "I'm not going through watching one of you mourn for the other again. And I'm not bringing your mother news of your death because you burned yourself out of magic."

"You won't have to. I promise."

Tango squeezed his shoulder before he concentrated and summoned the hottest fire he could muster, concentrated in his palms. It burned blue, almost like soulfire, and he could feel the way it burned his magic. His mother had told him to only use it if there was no other way left. He didn't think she had meant for it to happen so soon.

Impulse was working on rigging up the explosives at the cave entrance, concentrating on the delicate work of connecting them without triggering any of them when he felt something shift. He stilled, focussing inwards for a moment to feel the soulbond tugging at his magic ever so slightly. He looked up from his work to see the blue flames in Tango's hands as he held them up to the crying obsidian. They had talked about this before. Tango had shared the secret with him after learning it from his mother, and Impulse didn't like it, but he knew there was no other way. He quietly focussed back on his work, releasing a small trickle of magic through the soulbond. It wouldn't help much, but there was no use in both of them depleting their reserves and if he could help Tango just a little it was better than nothing.

He finished his work quickly, before he put away the rest of the explosives and the redstone he had used to connect them in the shulker box. He only left a torch out that they would need to send a pulse of power through the line to trigger everything and one last explosive to destroy the portal, and then he sat down with the others.

The wolves moved to lie next to him, and he buried one hand in Flip’s fur where he was pressing up against his leg. He would have to say goodbye to them soon, he knew, even if it was only temporary. But they were their best chance to get a message to Xisuma. Besides, it would be easier to travel through the Nether without a pack of wolves to take care of. He watched intently as Tango kept drying the crying obsidian, maybe taking a bit more magic and a bit more heat than he usually would to save time. He was already done with one piece of it, and the second looked like it would be done soon.

With a sigh Impulse got back up and gathered the wolves around him as he walked towards the cave entrance.

“Can they pass a message on to my brother for me?” Ex asked all of a sudden, clearly having come to the same conclusion as Impulse had.

Impulse turned towards him and nodded. “Just tell me what it is and I’ll make sure they pass it on.”

“Tell him… tell him to remember my promise by the dragon’s lair.” Ex took a deep breath. “He’ll know what it means.”

Impulse nodded again before he led the wolves out to the cave entrance.

“Tell Zed we’re alive and we’re going through the Nether. We’ll try to get back as fast as we can,” he whispered to Tango. “And pass Ex’s message for Xisuma on to him.”

Tango wagged her tail at him and nosed at his face, followed by her siblings, a silent goodbye before they all turned and disappeared into the forest. Impulse watched after them for a moment, but he could hear a distant rattle of bones and he knew they didn’t have much time left.

When he returned to the cavern Tango just lowered his hands from the last piece of crying obsidian, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion.

“It’s done,” he said tiredly.

He got up and with a last flicker of magic he lit the portal.

“They’re getting close,” Impulse said. “Does everyone have gold on them?”

Everyone nodded, and Impulse himself pulled out the golden necklace with his engagement ring to rest on the outside of his clothes, before he stored away the shulker of explosives in the Enderchest and picked it up to hand it back to Ex, who silently put it into his satchel again.

“I’ll go through first,” Ramal said. “I know the Nether and if the portal leads anywhere dangerous, I have the highest chance of survival.”

“And I’ll go last,” Ex said. “Should anything go wrong with the explosion I can just teleport away.”

He and Ramal looked at each other for a moment before Ramal leaned in and kissed him.

“Stay safe,” he said and Ex smiled.

“When do I ever?” he joked.

Ramal laughed softly, and then he picked up his pack and stepped through the portal, disappearing in a swirl of purple.

They waited a moment for him to come back in case it wasn’t safe, but nothing happened and one by one they followed until it was only Impulse, Tango and Ex left. The rattling of bones had reached the cave entrance.

“Go,” Ex said, a hard look in his eyes. “Now.”

Impulse and Tango nodded, and together they stepped into the portal, catching a glimpse of a dark skull as the Overworld vanished before their eyes and was replaced by the Nether.

They came out at the edge of a large lava lake, around them only Nether waste, and Tango sagged into Impulse as soon as they had made a few steps away from the portal. He was clearly more exhausted than he had led on before, and Impulse couldn’t help the spike of worry that shot through him. He could feel Tango’s flame. It was faint but it wasn’t in danger of going out at least.

“You need rest,” Impulse said, even as they walked over to where the others were waiting for them. “You took on more than you should have.”

“No other choice.” Tango sounded like he was about to pass out on his feet, and Impulse sighed.

“I know love,” he said gently. They sat down, backs leaning against a wall of netherrack, and Impulse kissed Tango’s temple. “Get rest while you can.”

But Tango was already dozing away.

It took Ex longer than it should have to come through the portal, and Ramal couldn’t help but worry. Between Tango practically collapsing against Impulse as soon as they had come through, clearly having used up most of his magic, and the fact that they were still being hunted he couldn’t stop pacing. He kept a bit of a distance from the portal, aware that something bad might still come through, but he also hoped that it would be Ex.

“Come on,” he muttered. “You can’t leave me hanging like this.”

He breathed a sigh of relief when finally the familiar form of Ex appeared in the purple swirls, just to rush forward when he just fell out of the portal before it went dark behind him.

Ex’s body fell onto the netherrack floor and he didn’t move.


	7. Chapter 7

Ramal surged forward and fell to his knees next to Ex. He didn't even realise that the others had followed until Tango, exhausted as he was, pulled him back and wrapped his arms around him, holding him, as Impulse bent over Ex.

There was a long gash on his arm, bleeding, and his skin looked ashen.

Ramal had seen the signs before. Someone affected by the wither had their life force drained out of them until they crumbled into ash. It wasn't always deadly, if the exposure hadn't been long the person affected could survive, but they took weeks to recover.

Impulse looked up, his face grim.

"Tango, I know you're tired, but I need to cauterize the wound."

Tango nodded and released Ramal to pull out a knife from his belt.

Impulse turned to False next. "False, I need you to find us a cave. We need to get out of the open. Preferably away from any crimson forest you might find."

"I'm on it." False got up and Ramal dimly thought that he should go with her, because he was one of the ones who knew their way around the Nether best, but then he looked down at Ex and he knew he was no use to her like this.

Tango had heated the blade and passed it to Impulse in the meantime, and Impulse nodded to Stress and Dick, who held Ex down as Impulse pressed the blade to the wound.

The smell of burning flesh had never been Ramal's favourite. But smelling it now almost made him retch. Tango's arm wrapped around his shoulders again, and his best friend held him tightly even as he was unable to look away. Ex thrashed a little against the weight of the two people holding him down, but he didn't wake, and Ramal had to swallow.

Finally Impulse lifted the blade and dropped it onto the netherrack beside him. He cleaned the wound and bandaged it, the white cloth looking almost stark against what was usually pale but rosy skin.

He smiled grimly, "Well that won't kill him at least. False better find that cave soon though. I don't want to treat him out here."

There was a movement at the edge of Ramal's vision and he looked up out of instinct. It was False, jogging across the open space.

"I found one," she said when she reached them. "It's not far and it's still in the wastes and away from any lava."

"Good." Impulse picked up the knife and wiped it clean before he handed it back to Tango. He turned to Ramal, eyes gentle and asked, "Can you carry him?"

Ramal took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," he said. "Definitely."

Impulse helped him lift Ex into his arms. He still felt as heavy as he was used to, and Ramal had to take a deep breath to remind himself to focus. They needed to get him as safe as possible. He would feel him in his arms like that again. He had to.

Impulse got right back to work as soon as Ramal had put Ex down on the ground in the cave False had found. He was glad that he had looked over everything the djinn alchemists had taught him about curing the wither before they had left and that he had made sure to have everything he needed.

"He'll need rest," he told Ramal, who hadn't left Ex's side, quietly. "We'll have to stay here for a few days at least until we can continue."

"You should go on without us. We can survive. We'll catch up."

"Ramal." Impulse stopped rummaging in his satchel for a moment to look at him. "Do you really think any of us would leave you two alone here? Do you think I would? Or Tango? We're already travelling faster than we expected, we can wait a few days. We can even wait a few weeks if we have to."

Ramal was silent for a moment, his hands clasped tightly around one of Ex's, before he said, "Thank you."

Impulse sighed. "You both tend to put others over your own well-being. There's always something more important. Whether it's Tango or the Hermits or each other. But we love you. We won't leave you behind when you need our help."

He reached out and squeezed Ramal's shoulder. "Now let's help him get better."

He dug back into his satchel and started pulling out potions, Health, Regeneration, and after a moment of consideration something he wouldn't normally use.

Ramal watched him and raised an eyebrow at the last potion.

"I don't think I've seen that one before," he said.

"It's something Cub and I have been working on," Impulse said. "The Vex showed it to him apparently."

"What is it?"

"Pure magic. It's…" Impulse bit his lip before he took a deep breath. "It's not fully tested. But Cub said he's seen Xisuma get withered once. Just mildly, but it took him a lot longer to recover than usual. He warned me that he's fairly sure it's the same for Ex. Something about their inherent magic makes the wither take hold longer. If the Vex are to be believed, which Cub thinks they are, replenishing their magic with other magic will help counteract that. It took us a while to get it right, but this is Vex magic mixed with my own. Cub insisted I take it with me and use it if Ex gets hit."

"Cub knows the Vex far beyond anything I've seen or heard of before," Ramal said quietly. "If he says they are not planning any mischief with this I believe him."

"So do I." Impulse took the health potion. "Hold up his head, please."

Ramal slipped an arm under Ex's head and gently lifted him until he was mostly sitting up. Impulse worked in silence as he first gave Ex the Health potion and then the Regeneration potion, the first to restore his health, the second to counteract the wither's draining of it, before he picked up the final bottle.

"Time to see if the Vex were truthful," he said, before he opened the bottle and slowly tipped it into Ex's mouth. There was a faint glow to his skin as it mixed with his own magic, and a faint giggle could be heard, but Impulse ignored it in favour of concentrating on the magic travelling through Ex's body. He could feel it push back the ashen feel of the wither, putting up a protective barrier between it and Ex's void magic, even as the wither tried to eat at it, albeit slowly, Impulse's own magic nurturing Ex's, while the Vex magic seemed to confuse and confound the wither.

"Oh," he said softly. "So that's what they meant."

Ramal raised a questioning eyebrow at him and he smiled.

"It's all good. It's working." He squeezed Ramal's shoulder gently. "Just let him rest."

Ramal nodded and Impulse put away his things and got up, leaving the two of them alone, Ramal lowering Ex back down to the ground and settling in to watch over him.

The others hadn't been idle either while Impulse was occupied with Ex. They had lit a small fire and someone had put a soulfire lantern at the entrance to keep away any stray hoglins coming their way.

Impulse's eyes met Tango's and he shook his head with a sigh.

"You are going to sleep now," he said, his voice not allowing for arguments. "You've exhausted yourself far too much when you fixed that portal and we both know it."

"But-" Tango started.

"No arguing. We can do without you for a few hours." He turned to look at the others. "In fact we should all rest. We'll have to stay here for a while until Ex is strong enough to walk again, but it's been a long day for all of us. I'll take first watch."

Tango was the only one who looked like he was about to argue, the others just nodded, and even Tango ducked his head when Impulse levelled him with a stern look.

False and Stress lay down by the fire, False behind Stress, her arm wrapped tightly around her.

"I'm taking second watch," False said, and Impulse nodded to show he had heard her, before she closed her eyes, Stress clearly drifting off already.

Dick looked like he had about a hundred questions but Impulse smiled gently at him as he sat down next to Tango.

"Tomorrow," he said. "You'll understand better if you're rested."

Dick nodded, and laid down, curling up where he was, pulling the cloak he had borrowed from Impulse close around him.

Tango burrowed into Impulse's side with a sigh, and he wrapped an arm around him. He would probably regret falling asleep like this before long, but Impulse knew him too well to argue with him. He settled in, his friends sleeping around him, even Ramal curling up with Ex in his arms, and started his watch.

Dick didn't feel particularly rested when he woke up. The hard Nether floor didn't exactly make for a comfortable bed, even though it was warm at least.

Tango and Impulse were still asleep, wrapped tightly around each other, but Stress and… False he guessed, not Symmetry like she had been introduced, were talking lowly with Ramal already. He looked a little better than before they had gone to sleep, still worried but less panicked.

"We should go hunting at some point," False was saying. "We have provisions but the longer we don't have to touch them the better."

"I agree," Ramal said. "Hoglins shouldn't be hard to find. They hit hard and they're not easy to kill, but they're a good source of meat."

"I guess I'll go and hunt one down later then."

"I'll come with you."

"Ramal...you know you don't have to. No one is going to think badly of you if you want to stay with Ex."

But Ramal shook his head. "I doubt he'll wake up today, and I feel better if I make myself useful."

"Alright then," False said. "We'll go hunting later."

Dick sat up slowly, and they all turned to him.

"Good morning," Queen Stress said, smiling gently. "I hope you slept well."

"Uh…"

"You'll get used to it," False said. "The first night is always hardest." She looked towards Tango and Impulse. "I guess we just have to wait for those two to wake up then."

"Well we sure won't get them to wake up before they're ready," Ramal said with a wry smile. "They'll both sleep through anything. We could probably get a couple striders in here and hide ourselves and they wouldn't even realise until they're awake."

"I can hear you, you know?" Tango said, sounding barely awake.

Ramal grinned. "I know. You've always been lousy at acting like you're asleep."

Tango opened his eyes, but he made no move to get up.

"We can't all be sneaky like you," he said, yawning. "We should probably get up though."

He proceeded to run a hand up along Impulse's spine and slid it into his hair, scratching at his scalp and murmuring to him, slowly coaxing him awake.

"There better be coffee," Impulse muttered finally, muffled a little by Tango's body.

Tango chuckled fondly. "I'll get you coffee. But you should get up first."

Impulse groaned, but he pushed away from Tango and sat up with a yawn. He leaned back against the wall of the cave, watching while Tango dug through their packs and unearthed a tin and a metal cup, and it wasn't long before Impulse wrapped his hands around a cup of coffee and breathed in deeply, already seeming more awake.

Stress shook her head. "How am I not surprised that you packed coffee as an essential."

"You know me. I need my coffee in the morning to wake up properly."

Tango smiled and dug into his pack again, pulling out bread and a small jar of honey.

"Luckily for all of you he also needs breakfast," he joked, before he passed the bread and honey, to False, who broke off a piece and dipped it into the honey before passing it on to Stress.

"Mhmm, Xisuma's bees are doing well this year," she said savouring her food.

"He's been experimenting with where he lets them collect pollen," Ramal said, as he took the food from Stress. "You'll have to ask him about it, I only understood like half of what he said when he explained it."

Dick understood what they meant when it was his turn. The honey was richer in flavour than anything he had tasted before, complex as if the bees had visited a lot of different flowers.

They all perked up a little after eating, and once he had finished his coffee Impulse went and had another look at Ex. He seemed satisfied with his progress and when he sat back down he asked, "So what's the plan for today?"

False exchanged a look with Ramal, "Ramal and I wanted to go hoglin hunting to get us something to eat so we can save the provisions as long as possible."

"That sounds like a good idea," Tango said. "You need a third person?"

False considered him for a moment before her eyes shifted towards Dick. "I was thinking we could take the prince with us."

Dick nodded. "I'd be happy to help."

"Let's answer his questions first," Tango suggested, turning towards him. "I'm sure you have a lot of them."

Dick wasn't sure where to start so he went with the first thing that came to his mind, "Who exactly are all of you?"

Tango raised an eyebrow, but before he could open his mouth, Impulse had knocked their knees together, giving him a stern look.

"Well Tango, Ramal and me you know," Stress said. "This is False, she usually leads my guard. Next to Tango is Impulse, he's a witch, and over in the corner is Ex. We're all Hermits."

He blinked working through all of that before he turned to Impulse and asked, "Are you even Alfrian?"

"I was born there." Impulse shrugged. "But I left a long time ago. I'd consider myself more of a djinn nowadays." He laughed at Dick's confused look. "If it wasn't clear from our interactions since last night, Tango and I are soulmates."

"He's going to rule with me one day," Tango added, smiling fondly at Impulse and lacing their fingers together.

"So you were never looking for a bride, were you?"

"No," Tango said. "And I hated pretending. But we needed a reason for why I was there."

Dick nodded and then he had a realisation.

"That servant that ran into you the day you arrived, that was Ex. It was never an accident," he said to False, who nodded.

"He passed me a message to tell us that everyone had arrived already," she said. "Since we couldn't really be seen talking to anyone, except Tango maybe."

"The meeting in the garden wasn't coincidence either, I assume." He eyed Tango and Impulse this time, who exchanged a look.

"Well it was for us," Impulse said. "I think Kadara and Duchess planned that one."

"Oh wow." Dick blinked and leaned back a little. "You really planned this through."

"Ex and Ramal did mostly," Stress said cheerfully.

"Oh I am but a humble advisor to the crown prince. And his best friend," Ramal said, chuckling. "Not the one to keep him out of trouble anymore though. Unless Impulse plans to disappear on us again."

"Not in this lifetime," Impulse said, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Dick studied him for a moment, noting the way Tango held on tightly to Impulse.

It reminded him of something, a song he had heard a few years ago when Antonio had taken him to a tavern in the city. It had been a good song, mostly happy but with a sadness in the middle that spoke of a desperation Dick couldn't even begin to understand.

He looked at them now and he realised it was their desperation.

"That song about the djinn prince who lost and found his lover again. That's you two, isn't it?" He asked quietly.

They looked a little surprised but then Impulse nodded. "Yes, that's us."

Tango chuckled, "I didn't know that song had made it to Pesara. We should tell Pixl and Zloy when we get home. They'll be thrilled."

"It's not very well known. But it's played occasionally." Dick shrugged. "I only heard it once at a tavern, years ago." He took a deep breath. "Anyways. You said there was a plot brewing. What's going on, why did you all come?"

"Ex and I got a tip months ago that someone wanted to frame Stress and the Hermits for attempting to murder your father. We couldn't confirm anything until around the time the invitation to the ball arrived." Ramal threw Tango a quick look, as if he was asking for permission for something, and Tango nodded. "Someone stole wither skeleton skulls from a djinn farm, and we found the seal of a noble Pesaran family. Though they must have stolen more than just skulls, considering the amount of skeletons that attacked us.

"We decided that Stress would attend the ball with the rest of us providing back up. But we suspected poison not an all-out attack."

"Poison?"

"Wither skeleton skulls are needed to produce one of the deadliest poisons known," Impulse said. "Imagine what happened to Ex but much much worse and practically irreversible. He got exposed to the wither but it wasn't as concentrated and he didn't digest it."

Dick nodded to show he understood, but something else had caught his attention. "What was the Pesaran seal the djinn found? What did it look like?"

"There was a dove with a branch of laurel in its beak. Sitting on a tower I believe. Why?"

"The Mondavo family," Dick said, frowning. "They've been out of favour at court for years. I can't remember why. They had connections my father didn't like, I believe."

The others exchanged looks.

"A ploy to get back in favour with the king?" False asked.

"Might be." Dick shrugged. "Though I have no idea why war between Pesara and Snefjella should gain them any favour with my father. He may act like it, but he doesn't want war."

"Whatever it is, I fear your parents knew," Ramal said. "Your mother confirmed that much to me when she told me you didn't know."

Dick surprised himself a little when he realised that he did not even want to argue with that.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he said grimly.

"It's okay to be conflicted. They are your parents," Stress said, but Dick shook his head.

"I've been at odds with my father too long to not know how he thinks. And my mother follows him in everything. I won't excuse what they did."

Stress looked like she wanted to say more, but False put a hand on her arm and she only nodded.

They left to hunt not long after, False taking a short hunting bow that was tied to the side of her pack, and Ramal giving his own to Dick.

"I can do without," he said at Dick's questioning look. "It's just easier to shoot them from a distance than to get in there and meet them at close range."

Impulse handed them a potion each.

"My stocks are limited for now, so if you have the opportunity to get some magma cream please bring some back with you," he said.

Ramal declined his.

"I'm good without," he said. "I've grown up in this environment."

Impulse rolled his eyes at him. "I'm not asking. You take the potion."

"Impulse is right," Tango said. "This isn't the Nether of our childhood. Out here we all take fire resistance potions when we can."

Ramal looked between them and then he shook his head and accepted the potion from Impulse.

"You two will be terrifying once you get to take the throne," he said, once he had drunk it under Impulse's watchful eyes.

"If it keeps everyone safe," Impulse said with a shrug, the curl of his lips making it clear that he was mostly joking.

False rolled her eyes at all of them.

"Let's go," she said, leading the way out of the cave, Dick and a smirking Ramal following her.

Impulse sat down with Tango again, glad for the ability to touch him again. He had missed him more than he could express and there was some part of him that wished they were alone so he could bury into him and kiss him the way he wanted to. But Stress was still sitting on the other side of the cave, and even if she had her back to them, watching over Ex, undoubtedly because she knew without asking, he was not going to take advantage of that.

Stress looked up and towards them.

"Will he really be okay?" she asked, worry clear in her tone.

"Yes," Impulse said. "He wasn't exposed badly. He just needs to rest."

"Then why is he not waking up?"

"He's fighting the wither right now. He'll wake up eventually. But his body is focussing all of his energy on that."

Stress nodded, looking a bit less worried.

"Hang in there, Ex," she said softly, looking down at him again. "Your family is waiting for you."

When Ex opened his eyes he was in the End. The Void stretched around him, endless swirling, breathing darkness. It felt almost peaceful, the only sound he could hear the soft vwhoops and warbled sounds of endermen.

He looked around and realised he was at the Dragon's lair, the black obsidian pillars towering over him, the Dragon's perch lying empty in the middle of the island, its occupant nowhere to be seen, but undoubtedly still guarding the portal that connected the End to the Overworld.

The last thing he remembered before this was fighting the wither skeletons in that cave. He thought he had barely managed to trigger the explosives at the cave entrance and light the one that would destroy the portal before they had hit him. He had stumbled backwards into the portal and the rumble of the furthest explosion had echoed around the cave when it had disappeared in a swirl of purple.

Everything after that was blank.

There was the sound of large wings beating and wind stirring the otherwise still air of the End and a moment later She flew past him, landing on her perch. She studied him for a moment, her glowing purple eyes as intense as he remembered.

"It is you again," she finally said, the Galactic taking a moment to settle in his brain again, the language of his childhood a rarely needed skill these days.

He knew he didn't have to reply and so he waited for her to finish her observations.

"I see you have found what you were looking for. And more."

It would have been unnerving had he not experienced it before, and standing here he remembered that first time, with his brother by his side. She had looked sad back then, the End people were hers, had always been, and she clearly regretted seeing even just one of them hurt. His brother had driven a hard bargain, and they had had to make a promise to her back then, to always love each other and to stick together and work together to find what they were looking for.

"And you never broke the promise you made," she said now, sounding a little proud even. "But your time has not come yet, child, so why are you here?"

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "I was protecting my family and they are waiting for me, and then I was here."

She studied him again, flaring her nostrils when they both heard a distant giggle Ex instantly recognised as the Vex.

"They fight for you now," she said, eyes distant. "They truly love you."

And then, "But I see it is not time for you to go back. You need to gather your strength first. What they are doing will help, but you need more." She jumped of her perch, almost cat-like, her claws digging into the end stone below her feet.

"Come on, child," she said, "Rest with me for a while. I won't keep you long."

And when she walked, Ex followed.

Zed was on his way back from Hermitville when he saw them. He had been out to trade wool and honey at the market, and Apple was happily cantering along the road, looking forward to her box at the stables. He was about to turn onto the road to the Hermitage when a blur of white running along the road coming up through the mountains caught his eye and he stopped. He shielded his eyes and then they were finally close enough for him to recognise them, nine white wolves moving as a unit like he had rarely seen in a pack.

He got off Apple's back and waited for them, Tango reaching him first, her siblings slowing down along with her.

They were tired, he could tell, but Tango didn't even wait for him to ask what was wrong before she showed him. It was chaotic, her and her siblings fighting side by side with Impulse and the others, bones crunching between jaws, moving through a forest always on the look out to protect the humans, hearing the faint rattle of bones in the distance they couldn't hear yet. And then there was Impulse, looking determined as he told them to go and tell the others what had happened.

Zed squatted down and put a calming hand on her neck.

"It's fine, you made it back. We'll go home and tell Xisuma," he said. "And then you get to rest."

He knew she had understood when she licked his hand quickly, and he got back up and onto Apple's back, the pack following as he spurred her into movement towards the castle. They had to get to Xisuma.


	8. Chapter 8

Wels was already waiting for Zed when he rode into the courtyard. There was a smile on his face but the moment he saw the wolves accompanying him his brows drew together in a frown.

"Ren?" he called out, and by the time Zed had dismounted, Ren was walking out of the stables, a questioning look on his face.

"What's up dude?" he asked, but then he spotted the wolves. "I'll take Apple, you guys go up to Xisuma."

He stepped in and took Apple's reigns from Zed, who shot him a thankful smile.

"Thanks, Ren," he said, and then he and Wels were already on their way to the door leading up on top of the gate, opting for the quick way, the wolves right behind them.

Wels didn't ask questions, he knew it would be easier if Zed only had to relate what the wolves had told him once, but he couldn't help but worry. If Impulse had decided to split up with the entire pack something must have happened.

He saw the same thought reflected on Xisuma's face when they walked into his office and he saw the pack.

"What happened?" he asked immediately, and Zed took a deep breath.

"There was an attack at the ball. Wither skeletons. There was a fight, but they took care of them and left. But…" Zed bit his lip. "They found a corrupted portal and decided to go through the Nether."

Silence fell over them, and Xisuma and Wels exchanged a look.

"If they go through the Nether there is no way to tell how long they are going to take," Wels said. "They're probably too far away from the border of the Djinnlands to easily find them, and they're even further away from our area of the Nether. Their best shot is finding another portal and getting back to the Overworld, but who knows where they will end up."

Xisuma nodded grimly. "That's what I'm thinking." He turned to Zed. "Is everyone together?"

"Yes." Zed nodded. "They're all travelling together, and they have the Pesaran crown prince with them."

"Prince Dick?" Xisuma looked surprised. "I can't say I expected that."

Zed was about to say more when one of the wolves, Tango, Wels guessed, nosed at his hand and he looked down at her. He nodded after a moment and looked back up at Xisuma.

"According to Tango Ramal said he is not involved in any of this. He was with Stress and False when the attack happened, and he decided to join them."

"It will complicate things with Pesara a little," Xisuma said thoughtfully. "But I assume they had a reason to take him along."

"There's also a message for you from Ex," Zed added.

"Yes?"

"He said to tell you to remember his promise by the Dragon's Lair."

Xisuma raised his eyebrows. "Just that?"

"Just that," Zed confirmed.

"That's...curious." Xisuma frowned a little. "He'll have had his reasons, I assume."

"What does it mean?"

Xisuma smiled. "It's just an old promise. Something we talked about before we came to the Overworld. I haven't thought of it in years. He's probably just telling me not to worry."

Wels knew they wouldn't get more out of him right now. Xisuma and Ex rarely talked about their past before they came to the Overworld, and even then it was mostly vague. The Hermits who had been with them the longest probably knew a bit more, but they all respected their privacy. They knew enough to figure out that it wasn't a very nice story, especially not for Ex, and that was enough for them.

Xisuma sighed. "I guess we should leave for the capital tomorrow, Wels. I don't think we can avoid following Stress's wishes on what should happen in an emergency."

Wels nodded. "I'll be there."

"Meet me at the Nether portal after sunrise. You two deserve to have the evening to yourselves."

"Thanks X," Wels said, and Xisuma smiled.

"Now go home. Enjoy your evening. I'll inform the others. I'll see you tomorrow."

Wels and Zed both knew a dismissal when they heard one, and with a last nod they left Xisuma's office, their leader looking thoughtful, probably planning how to organise his absence already.

Impulse was starting to have trouble hiding his worry over Ex. It was hard to tell for most of the others, but according to Tango and Ramal about ten days had passed since they had come to the Nether. They had settled into a rhythm even if there wasn’t much to do. The hoglin meat they got from hunting was more than enough to feed them, and their cave entrance was hidden away enough for them not to get any unwanted visitors. And so most of their time was spent waiting. They talked, they rested, and someone unearthed a deck of cards from their things that they used to play

Tango and Ramal had started scouting along the lava lake to see if they could make it around or could even just go west until they hit the road north the djinn had started constructing to link their lands with the Hermitage, but they had come back with grim expressions.

"There is a sheer cliff all the way to the ceiling west from here," Tango had said, "and we don't know how far the lake reaches in the east. North is the only way that makes sense. If we're lucky we can get close enough to the lodestones around the Hermitage to find our way home before we hit another lava lake. Or at least find better conditions to go west."

There had been some discussion about how far out they were from the Hermitage by Nether travel but ultimately they knew they couldn't do much about it and it just passed some time while they waited for Ex to wake.

Impulse knew Tango had realised that he worried about Ex not waking up, but he kept silent, understanding that Impulse didn't want to worry everyone else.

He checked on him every day, and the wither had disappeared, the last of the Vex magic burning itself out with it, while Impulse's magic slowly dwindled and strengthened Ex's. But Ex body was still building up strength and while Impulse could feel his life force, it felt muted, as if he wasn't fully there. It was puzzling, especially since it was not a usual effect of the wither, and Impulse didn't quite know what to make of it. And so all they could do was wait.

The Dragon had taken him to a cave in the endstone and there she had curled around him and he had rested, protected from any harm. He didn't know how long he had slept until she woke him, surprisingly gentle for a being her size, and had told him that it was time to leave.

"Your family waits for you," she said, "and you are strong enough now."

He nodded and followed her back to the portal.

"I hope I will not see you for a long time, child," she said.

"I will try my best," he said, and then he stepped up to the edge of the portal, looking down into it for a moment before he made the final step and jumped.

When he opened his eyes next it was to a red ceiling stretching above him, lit by the flickering light of a fire. He gasped, his mind trying to adjust to the almost suffocating feeling of being in the Nether, and a moment later Ramal's face appeared above him, eyebrows drawn together in worry, but also clearly relieved to see Ex awake.

Ex took a few gasping breaths, before he felt like he could breathe properly again and tried to sit up.

He was still weak but he managed to make it most of the way up before Ramal had to help him, which was enough time for Impulse to reach his side.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, already looking for any signs that something was wrong.

Ex's voice sounded raspy when he replied, "A bit tired, but better than I expected."

"Exhaustion is to be expected. You did get withered, even if I managed to stop it." Impulse studied him for a moment. "I'm more surprised that you managed to sit up already."

"I...had help," Ex said. "An old friend. I can't explain how but...she told me to rest and she protected me."

There was something thoughtful in Impulse's eyes but he smiled when he said, "We'll have to thank her then. You think you can manage some food?"

"I think so."

It turned out that Ex could not quite make it all the way up on his feet but Ramal carried him, and Ex leaned against his shoulder when they sat down with the others, all of them looking relieved to see him awake again.

"How long was I out?" Ex asked after he had a sip of the water Stress had passed him.

"Ten days, roughly," Tango said. "It's hard to tell in the Nether but that's how many rest cycles we've had."

"Ten days…" Ex thought about it for a moment. "That means the wolf pack should have reached the Hermitage by now."

Impulse sighed, but he said, "Give or take a day depending on whether they rested or if they had to take any detours."

"But isn't it a three month journey to your home?" Dick asked confused.

"By horse yes," Impulse said. "But wolves travel further and my pack can go a long time without resting if they have to. They're magical beings. And they can go straight where a human traveller has to follow roads, making their journey shorter."

"So it's safe to assume that my brother and the others know or will know soon," Ex said, taking the bowl of stew False handed him with a quick smile.

"He and Wels know what to do," Stress said. "They can't do much to aid us here unless they want to risk sending an expedition into the Nether without knowing where we are. But whatever happens Xisuma has the power to get the country through whatever political turmoil comes of this."

"The wolves will mean he knows before anyone else in Snefjella," Impulse said. "Probably faster than anyone else save Malika. It gives him an advantage in preparing the country and getting support from its allies."

Tango stilled all of a sudden, and Impulse threw him a questioning look.

"My mother. I hope X sends her a message. If she doesn't know…"

Impulse's eyes widened, and Dick gave them both a confused look.

"What do you think Queen Malika will do?"

"Have you ever heard the story about the djinn queen and the scholar?" Impulse asked quietly, and Dick nodded. "The queen in that story is Queen Malika. And should she assume her only son died…"

Ex could see the moment Dick understood, even as Tango said, "Or his soulmate."

"Or his soulmate," Impulse confirmed.

"Whoever came up with this plan either didn't think the djinn would get involved or doesn't realise it's her either," Ex said, swallowing down a mouthful of stew. "Have you figured out which route to take from here yet?"

"North," Ramal said. "All other ways are blocked or take us too far away from anything. If we're lucky we should be able to pick up on one of the Hermits' lodestones in a few days."

Ex nodded. "Then I better get my strength back enough that we can leave."

Wels met Xisuma by the Nether portal early in the morning. They had both packed lightly, and Wels had made sure to get his best, most court appropriate clothes out, his sword polished to a sheen at his side.

Xisuma smiled wryly when he saw him.

"Keeping up appearances, I see," he said as they descended the stairs down to the portal room.

Wels shrugged. "Best to remind them that I know more about them than they would like me to."

Xisuma stopped, a hand on Wels' arm before they stepped through the portal.

"Thank you for being with me in this."

"As I said when I offered, you need someone who knows that court. Karlsson is a good chancellor and he doesn't get involved in court politics usually but you need someone you know and can trust."

"Still, you had a reason for your choice to leave and going back despite that can't be easy."

Wels shrugged with a smile. "It's not like I'm leaving Zed behind forever. I handled these people for so long, what will a couple more weeks or months be? Now come on we still got a bit of a walk before us."

Xisuma nodded and they both stepped through the portal, ignoring the portal room on the other side in favour of stepping through the small plain door to the tunnel towards the capital.

Guards greeted them when they stepped back through into the Overworld about an hour and a half later, immediately drawing their swords.

They relaxed when their sergeant recognised Wels and greeted him, "It's good to see you Captain."

"Sergeant Svensson," Wels said with a nod. "Everything good?"

"Things have been calm. Though I wager that's about to change a little."

"Hopefully not too much," Xisuma said. "We need to see Chancellor Karlsson."

Svensson nodded. "Martinsson, take Master Xisuma and the Captain to Chancellor Karlsson. Then go inform Lieutenant Gertha," he ordered and one of the guards stepped forward, waiting for them to follow.

He led them up the stairs from the portal room and along the corridors of the castle until they reached a door that only distinguished itself through the guard stationed in front of it. Martinsson nodded to him and knocked on the door, opening it for them when a call came from within to enter.

Chancellor Karlsson looked older than Wels remembered him, he would be in his late fifties now he remembered, serving Stress and her mother before her for several decades already. He had been Stress's oldest and most trusted advisor before she had made him chancellor, and for good reason. There were few people at court who navigated the petty squabbles of the nobility with as much ease as he did, while also having an unparalleled knowledge of Snefjella's diplomatic relations, and never showing ambitions to enrichen himself. It was a rare trait in someone as high in the political hierarchy as he was and Wels had always admired that about him.

He was still eating his breakfast, already reading through the correspondence of the day, but he looked at them when they entered and he didn't seem phased by their visit.

"Master Xisuma. Captain Wels," he said, gesturing to the chair across from him. "I'm afraid I only have the one chair to offer, but please sit. I assume you have news from our queen."

Xisuma sat down, while Wels remained standing, and nodded.

"We have received word of an attack on the masquerade ball she and Captain False attended in Pesara."

"You trust the source."

"The source was one of our own."

Karlsson nodded. "You are here to follow the queen's wishes should something happen."

"We are."

"May I ask if she is healthy?"

"She and the captain are on their way home, accompanied by Crown Prince Tango of the djinn, his advisor Ramal, the Hermits Impulse and Ex as well as the Pesaran crown prince himself. We cannot tell how long they will take to make it back though. They had to choose a more difficult path than they expected."

Another nod before Karlsson got up.

"Allow me to show you to my office," he said, before leading them out of the door and along the corridor towards the bureaucratic heart of Snefjella.

He stopped a servant on the way and asked her to have rooms prepared for them, but other than that his walk was brisk and clearly intended to have no one stop them.

Gertha was already waiting for them in front of his office, standing at attention.

“Ease, Lieutenant,” Wels said, and she relaxed her stance. He exchanged a look with Xisuma. "I'll go with Gertha and get a handle on things," he said and Xisuma nodded.

"I'll see you later."

Wels nodded and as Xisuma and Karlsson entered the office, he fell in step next to Gertha, walking towards the offices of the guard.

He knew she wanted to know what was going on, that much was clear from the looks she shot him on the way, but they both knew that some things were better discussed in private and only when the door to her office fell closed behind them did she turn to him and ask, "What happened?"

"There was an attack at the ball. Stress and False had to leave unexpectedly with the others. We don't know how long they'll take, but the last we heard was that they were fine."

Gertha cursed under her breath. "I should have known something would happen."

"We always knew it was a possibility," Wels said.

"Who else is with them?"

"Tango, Impulse, Ex, Ramal and the Pesaran crown prince."

"The...Pesaran crown prince?"

"Yes. We don't know the details either but apparently he wasn't involved in what happened and he chose to go with them."

"That's gonna be a mess."

"All of this is going to be a mess," Wels said with a sigh.

"You're probably right." Gertha sighed before she shook her head and opened a drawer of her desk, pulling out a small box and unlocking it with a key she took from her pocket.

She handed Wels a heavy envelope and said, "Welcome back, Captain."

After Wels had left Zed had gone through his usual tasks. But now the animals were fed, the sheep were out grazing, watched over by Clifford, and even the broken plank in the fence of the pig enclosure was fixed. Impulse's wolves had spent the morning lying in a pile by the front door, all nine of them fast asleep. They were still exhausted from their journey; even they, as enduring as they were, had reached their limits after travelling for ten days without rest. Zed had already made sure that he had enough meat for them, even though he had had to ask Ren for additional supplies, because he knew they would be ravenous when they finally woke up.

But with all of that done Zed was taking a break, lying in the sun and trying to figure out what else there was to do after lunch. He opened his eyes when he felt someone nose at his face and found Kaya standing next to him. She still looked a bit tired, but there was something urgent about her.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" He asked, scratching behind her ear.

She gave him an intense look, and he tilted his head a little as he listened to what she had to say.

"Oh," he said, eyes wide, when she was done. "You're right. She will worry."

He sat up and rose to his feet, brushing some grass off his pants.

"Let's go find Cub, he'll know if Xisuma has taken care of it or if we have to."

And Kaya on his heels he turned towards Cub's and Scar's house, hoping Cub would be home.

Wels didn't see Xisuma again until the evening. They had both been kept busy all day, getting caught up on things and starting to get things in order. Wels had taken over False's office, though he had spent most of his time going over guard rotations with Gertha, and meeting up with the commanding officers. He didn't have a lot of changes to make, at least not yet he felt. Any visitors from Pesara would take months to make it this far and for now an increase in guard rotations was unnecessary. Xisuma was already waiting for him when he entered the sitting room they shared, and they exchanged general comments on their days while their dinner was brought in.

"Karlsson has things pretty well under control," Xisuma said when they were finally alone. "In all honesty he could continue to run the country on his own and he would probably do a better job than I ever could."

"He's efficient and he's been doing this for years so he knows the ins and outs of things. Appointing you was never about how well he could run the country in a crisis and he knows that." Wels shrugged. "You're here because the common people will need a figurehead, someone who gives them the feeling that a leader they know and respect is taking care of things. Karlsson is known, but he's not as well-known as you are."

"Ah, politics."

Wels had to smirk. "Just wait until the nobles get over themselves and start pestering you."

"Oh goodness me, that is going to be the end of me."

But Xisuma was smiling, clearly not taking it seriously, and Wels laughed.

"How's the guard faring?" Xisuma asked, turning serious again.

"They're doing well. Gertha knows what she's doing. I'm not increasing rotations yet, though I've told the officers that it will most likely happen eventually."

Xisuma nodded. "I already ordered the border forces to increase their rotations slightly, and I sent word to Rhee in Finis to tell her of the situation. Knowing her she will be willing to lend us political support at least. I already sent a piglin messenger to Queen Malika last night to make sure she knows Tango and Impulse are okay. Anything else will have to go through official diplomatic channels though."

Wels nodded and they sat in silence for a moment, enjoying their food, before Xisuma said, "Karlsson wanted me to warn you by the way. Your father is on his way to court."

Wels sighed. "He would have turned up eventually. He's never far when there's an opportunity to make things harder on everyone."

"Still if he bothers you too much you should feel free to take a day or two off and see Zed or invite him here. And you always got me in your corner."

"Thanks, X. I'll make sure to remember it."

Wels smiled and Xisuma nodded, satisfied, before they both turned back to their food, Wels wondering what exactly brought his father to court this time.


	9. Chapter 9

They left a few days after Ex had woken up. He knew that he wasn't quite as close to being back to full strength as Impulse would have liked. But he had insisted that they start their journey sooner rather than later and after Ramal had agreed to have an eye on him at all times, Impulse had sighed and agreed.

They set out north, Tango in the lead, and Impulse bringing up the rear, Ramal and Ex in front of him. And walking was more of a struggle than Ex wanted to admit, but he had said that it would be fine and he wasn't going to admit defeat now, even as they climbed a hill of netherrack. Ramal stuck close to him, clearly aware that Ex had lied through his teeth, but choosing not to say anything.

They were a little behind the rest of the group and when they had disappeared over the crest of the hill, Impulse stopped him with a hand on his elbow and handed him a potion.

"You're clearly not strong enough to be doing this," he said with a roll of his eyes. "But I know you're too stubborn. Take a strength potion at least."

Ex nodded and quickly downed the potion, handing the empty bottle back to Impulse before they continued their ascent. He took a deep breath as he felt it taking effect, his next steps already more energetic as he reached the top of the hill.

Their first day of travelling was uneventful. The netherwastes gave way to warped forest, its almost complete silence only interrupted by the warbling endermen.

"What are they?" Dick asked when they had just passed a group of them, cautious not to look them in the eyes.

"Endermen," Ex said. "Legend has it that they are the souls of those who were not strong enough to withstand the call of the Void. Their shame burns in their eyes and they cannot stand anyone looking at them and seeing it. They are docile, friendly even, as long as you don't look them in the eyes. But if you do they lash out in anger because they cannot bear the pain. They only live in the end usually, but they find the emptiness of the warped forests of the Nether comforting." He smiled grimly. "That's just the legends I was told in my childhood though. Stories told by my people to scare children away from the Void. The only one who knows what they are will never tell the story. She is protective of all her children."

There was the faint vwhoop of an enderman teleporting and the questioning warble of backwards galactic, and Ex stopped. He didn't look higher than the enderman's chest, but it was enough to see that they were being curious.

"Yes, I'm her child, too," he said in Galactic.

Another backwards warble.

"I left long ago. She knew it was the best choice I could make."

The next warble was shorter, and Ex smiled.

"I'm happy," he said. "This is part of my family."

The enderman was silent for a moment and he could see their nod at the edge of his vision before they warbled at him again.

"Thank you friend."

Ex turned back to the others, switching back to Common. "This enderman here says they're going to lead us to the Northern edge of the forest. But they also say we will probably not get far after. They don't know the right words in Galactic to explain though."

Tango nodded and respectfully waited until the enderman teleported first to the front of their group and then a little ahead, leading them on through the trees.

"Their sounds are speech?" Dick asked softly and a little confused.

"It's Galactic," Ex said. "The language of my home dimension, the End. It's backwards and it takes some time to learn to understand but they speak. If they want to at least."

"So what you spoke to them…"

"Was Galactic, yes."

"Do many people live in the End?"

"Not the one connected to this world. It is only inhabited by shulkers and endermen that took over cities once inhabited by the end people."

It was clear Dick was still curious but he did not ask more questions, instead focussing on the way ahead.

They reached the end of the warped forest by the afternoon of what passed for a day for them, and Impulse stood by Tango's side while Ex thanked the enderman who had lead them. Ahead of them the warped nylium slowly gave way to netherrack again but in the distance they could see the tell-tale blue-ish fog of a soulsand valley, accompanied by the distant eerie cries of ghasts.

"We should find a cave soon and rest," Tango said. "I wouldn't want to sleep out in the open with ghasts so close by."

Impulse nodded. "Let's find one. Or at least a hidden ledge that provides some shelter from them."

They turned west along the edge of the forest towards where the terrain got steeper and higher, rising all the way up towards the ceiling.

"I don't like what the enderman said about us not getting much further North from here," Tango said. "I wish they had known the words to explain."

"There's no use speculating. We'll face whatever it is when we get there. The soulsand valley will be treacherous enough to get through."

Tango sighed. "You're right. Rest first."

They reached the cliff and Impulse fall back towards the rear of the group again, one hand on his bow, his eyes continuously scanning the air above them for any ghasts that had ventured away from their natural environment.

The cliff made a bend and Tango had just reached it when he stopped and flattened himself against the netherrack, pushing Dick behind him against it as well.

He gestured for them to move back, and Ramal and Impulse exchanged a look before they let the others pass them and approached Tango. Impulse heard what had made him stop when they reached him. There were piglin noises ahead, and when Impulse crouched down and peeked around the corner he barely saw the blackstone walls of a bastion looming.

He slowly moved backwards until he could feel his shoulder press against Tango's leg and only then did he concentrate and focus his magic.

He knew he looked grim when he got back up and gestured for the other two to follow him back towards where the rest of their group was waiting.

"There's a bastion ahead," Tango said grimly when they reached them. He turned to Impulse, "How many are there?"

"About a hundred, I'd wager. Too many to risk passing by too closely."

Tango nodded.

"There was a small cave a bit back," Ramal said. "It will be a tight fit but we should be safe there."

"Let's rest there and cross the wastes away from the cliff tomorrow," False said, already turning to go back. "I think we'll all be happy to get as much rest as we can."

They followed her until they reached the cave. Just like Ramal had said, it was a tight fit, but they made it work, and after a quick dinner they settled in and slept.

Tango didn't like that they would have to approach and cross the soulsand valley out in the open. If he was honest he didn't like that they would have to cross the soulsand valley at all, but that couldn't be helped, and if they got lucky they would be able to get through it relatively unharmed and without attracting the attention of too many ghasts.

He could hear the eerie whispers of the soulsand before they reached it, and he did his best to ignore them as he sidestepped the first patch, remaining firmly on the soulsoil next to it.

He had never liked soulsand. As a child the whispers had scared him and when he had gotten older and had understood that they would try to impersonate dead loved ones he had started avoiding it as much as he could, even before his father had died. He didn't want to know what it would sound like to step on it now, whether he would hear his father's voice again or not. He had long accepted that he would always miss him. Some days he couldn't help but wonder what he would have made of Impulse, whether he would have liked him or not. He had taken Impulse down into the royal crypts on one of their visits to his mother and had shown him the statue of his father that held the urn with his ashes in its base.

He had been nervous for some reason, as if either his father or Impulse would disapprove of the other. But Impulse had studied the statue for a long moment before he had turned to Tango and said, "He looks kind. He must have loved you and your mother a lot."

"He did," Tango had said. "He always had more time than my mother did, because he had less duties than she, and while he had his projects he made sure he was there to take care of me when my mother couldn't. And when Ramal and I got old enough for his mother to start teaching us, he got to focus more on other things, but he still came to pick us up to spend the afternoon with me every day." Tango had smiled. "He would play games with us, or tell us stories, and some days he would sneak us out into the city and we would just wander around and look at the market stalls or get snacks. It was a good time."

Impulse had smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"He sounds like a good father. I'm sure he would be proud of you."

Tango had pulled him in with a smile until he could hug him.

"I think he would have liked you," he had said, and Impulse had smiled against his shoulder.

He shook off the memory now, aware that it was the soulsand's influence that had dredged it up, and focused on staying on the soulsoil, while not getting too far off track. He chanced a look back over his shoulder, his eyes finding Impulse immediately and as concentrated as he seemed to be on their surroundings there was something pensive in his eyes that told Tango that he was trying very hard not to let the memories of his mother and her death get too loud in his mind. He looked back to the front, and found their bond in his mind, reaching out to let him know he was there.

They trudged through the soulsand valley, passing the remains of large bones that could often be found in these areas, and always mindful of the ghasts over their heads, their cries only adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Luckily ghasts had a limited field of vision and rarely noticed what was below them, and they only attacked what was at their eye level, so as long as they managed to stay low in the valley they were relatively safe.

Tango was so focused on staying away from the soulsand and charting the safest path that it was too late by the time he saw the ghast that slowly floated down on the other side of the valley. Before he knew it he was hit by a projectile, knocking him off his path and setting the ground around him ablaze with blue soulfire.

He was a little dizzy; the projectile had hurt, even if the flames didn't but then he got up with a groan and froze.

The voice was clear in his mind as if it hadn't been years since he had heard it, the laugh as familiar as his own, booming and happy, and present in all his favourite childhood memories. He very dimly registered Ramal taking care of the ghast, a blur of movement in the air, but he couldn't move, the voice trapping him inside his head.

And then Impulse was there, walking right through the flames. He stopped for a moment when he stepped onto the soulsand and took a deep breath.

"You're not real," he said to whatever voice he was hearing. "She is dead."

And then with another deep breath and a determined expression on his face he walked right up to Tango.

His hands came up, framing his face, making him look at him.

"It's not real Tango," he said steadily. "Whatever you hear, it's not real." He let go and took his hands instead, gripping them tightly as he started walking backwards, pulling Tango with him. He resisted for a moment, the voice loud and familiar and comforting in his mind, but Impulse didn't let go and his pull was too strong not to follow.

First one step then two. It was slow and the voice in his mind changed tune.

"Do you really want to leave me behind?" it asked, as if there was anything to leave. And Tango didn't really want to. He wanted to stay and listen, get lost in his memories, hear him tell the old stories again, hear him laugh and joke and be comforted like a child again. But Impulse pulled and then they stepped back onto the soulsoil and the voice disappeared.

Impulse stepped in and caught him when he crumbled, his arms wrapping tightly around him as he gently lowered Tango until they were kneeling on the ground.

Tango clutched him tightly as he buried his face against his shoulder, hot tears soaking into the fabric of Impulse's shirt.

Impulse held him for a long moment, rubbing soothing circles into his shoulders, murmuring softly to him. And Tango didn’t even hear the words but Impulse’s voice was comfort enough, tethering him to reality, slowly pulling him back.

"We need to move Tango," he said quietly. "Can you do that?"

Tango took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. Impulse moved a little, raising his head and said, "Ramal can you take the lead from here?"

"Yes," Ramal said behind him, closer than Tango had thought he was.

"I'll take the rear," False said to their right.

"Thanks." Impulse released Tango, and pulled him along when he got up. "Let's get moving so we can get out of here."

They didn't stop until they were well away from the soulsand valley. It had merged into a basalt delta, the ground much more treacherous than before, but Ramal had done his best to continue north. They hadn't quite traversed it by the time they had to stop for the night, but he and False had managed to collect some magma cream, and they had found a decent sized cave that was sheltered enough to spend the night.

Impulse quickly set up a brewing stand in the corner to get some more fire resistance potions going, but then he sat down with Tango a bit away from the rest of them, and pulled him into his arms, talking quietly to him.

Ramal sighed softly when he watched Tango bury into Impulse's side. He had a decent idea of whose voice Tango had heard when he had touched that soulsand, and he wasn't going to press.

Stress brought them some food but other than that they left them alone in their corner, only talking quietly among themselves.

Dick kept throwing them pensive looks, but he didn't say anything, clearly he didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

"You can ask," Ramal told him.

"I...I wouldn't want to intrude," he said, looking down. "It's clearly personal."

"It is and it isn't," Ramal said. "There's only one voice the soulsand could have impersonated to make him react that way. And I think he would be okay with you knowing. It's not much of a secret."

"Who...who do you think it was?"

"His father."

"The king? I...I don't think I ever heard much about him. He died, didn't he?"

Ramal stared into the fire for a moment, before he took a deep breath.

"Prince consort, not king," he said finally. "And yes, he died." He paused before he continued, lost in memories. "He was a wonderful father. He raised me as much as he raised Tango. My mother is a close friend to the queen, and I never knew my father, but Tango's father...he included me as much as he could. He was...he loved his wife and his son. Tango is a lot like him in some ways. He liked to laugh a lot, and he was a bit more bookish than Tango will ever be, a bit more serious maybe. He always told us stories, tales he had read or heard when he was still a scholar in the Overworld. Tango learned redstone from him. A skill I never quite managed to grasp.

"He died when we were sixteen. An accident while working on a redstone contraption. It was a hard time for Tango and his mother. And he threw himself into learning everything about redstone that he could learn. I tried to be there for him, but he pulled away. He got obsessed with figuring out how to make his father's contraption work. And then he got old enough to be considered an adult and he tried to get his mother to allow him to leave. He wanted to learn more, to hone his skills. They argued about it. I had never seen them argue like that, and I haven't seen them argue like that since.

"And then he left. In the middle of the night. I would have gone with him, but no one realised until the next morning and we had no idea where he had gone.

"The queen was devastated. She had lost the two people who were most important to her. But she never gave up hope that Tango would return. I became her advisor because we both agreed that Tango would need someone who could help him navigate his position should he ever come back.

"It wasn't until I met Ex years later that I found out that he had joined the Hermits eventually and what had happened to him. And he didn't come home until I tipped off Ex about Impulse and Xisuma sent him to talk to him. I...I'm not proud of it, but I extracted a promise from him, to come home with me to see his mother in exchange for letting Impulse go with him."

"Would you have gone through wif it?" Stress asked.

Ramal shook his head. "No. I had no intention of doing anything about Impulse. He wasn't doing any harm, just lived his life quietly. And I did tell Ex about him because I felt like he could use a place to truly call home, a family. I didn't know the rest of you then, but Ex had told me enough for me to know that you would welcome him should he choose to join you."

He fell quiet and then after a moment False spoke up.

"I remember when Tango joined us," she said. "I don't know how Xisuma heard about him, but whatever he did hear, he thought he should go talk to him himself and he took me along.

"Tango lived remotely, deep in a forest, away from everything. He had travelled for a while I heard, gathered knowledge and learned what he could. He had figured out what killed his father at that point and then he had fixed it and overhauled it. But…he was aimless." False paused, looking like she was getting lost in the memories, before she softly continued. "He didn't know what to do with his life after he had figured that out. It was hard to see. Even after he agreed to join, it took him a long time to find his drive again. I don't think he built that particular farm again until after Zed joined and challenged him to find a creative way of doing it."

"I can't fault him for not going home for so long," Stress said. "Seeing him those first couple months...he fought hard to find back to himself. I fink he was afraid of going back."

"He definitely didn't like it when I made that deal with him," Ramal said. "But I think in the end he was glad I did it. I'm glad I did it. To think I wouldn't have been there for him with everything that happened after…"

Ex reached out and squeezed his hand. "I guarantee you my brother and I would still have sent that letter, even if I hadn't known that he went home."

"I know." Ramal smiled. "I just worry what would have been."

"I get it."

They lapsed into silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts, while Impulse and Tango still seemed in their own little bubble at the far side of the cave.

Their luck ran out the next day, and False couldn't help but grimly think that it was bound to happen eventually. At the end of the basalt delta was another lava lake, just as vast as the first one. And this time all ways but east were blocked to them. She could see from Tango's expression that he had expected it to happen sooner or later as well, and even as he checked his compass to see if maybe they at least were in range of their home area in the Nether, he didn't look like he thought it would work.

"We'll have to turn east and walk around," Stress said, voicing what they all thought.

"If we're lucky it will only cost us a few days," Ramal said, but he didn't sound like he believed it.

They had all known that this moment would probably come, even Dick who had no experience with the Nether didn't look surprised.

False adjusted her pack on her back and turned. "Let's go then," she said decisively. "It won't get better by staring at it."

The others nodded, and Tango quickly took the lead again, cautiously picking his path between the columns of basalt, mindful of the lava pools and the magma cubes jumping around between them. East it was.

The more time they spent in the Nether the more fascinated Dick became with it. Little was known about this dimension in Pesara, and he had always imagined it to be a landscape of fire and death. And sure, it had been scary at first, the unknown dangers uncountable and worrying, but the rest of the group quite obviously knew their way around this environment.

What most surprised Dick was how alive the Nether was. There were creatures everywhere, from the endermen in the warped forest to the piglins they had seen through the trees in the crimson forest not too far from their first cave. Even the areas that seemed like nothing was inhabiting them had some form of life. Ramal had explained to him that the zombiefied piglins that walked the netherwastes technically weren’t alive anymore and that they were little more than rotting corpses whose bodies had not realised that it was over for them, but they made the wastes feel more alive than they would have otherwise.

He learned a lot, not just about the Nether, but about the Hermits as well. And where all he had had since his uncle had left had been rumours about who they were and what they could do, they now became actual people in his mind, even the ones he hadn't met. They worked together as a team, each of them naturally assuming their position in the group without having to talk about it. But there was more to it than just knowing each other's skills and being a well-trained unit that knew how to fight together. It was clear that they were family to each other even past individual bonds. There were all the shared memories and inside jokes, the way no one had seemed like Tango's life story was new to them when Ramal had told it. And Dick had quickly realised that their group was about more than a group of people with abilities that went past what people considered normal, it was about having a home and having each other's back, about having bonds that went past mere friendship or romance. Even Ramal, who tended to talk like he was separate from them, was included in their bond.

It was clear everyone deferred to Tango and Ramal and Impulse here in the Nether, their knowledge and understanding of it deeper than everyone else's, but it never felt like they were anything less than equals, no matter any differences in standing outside of their group.

And between Tango's easy-going nature that somehow was perfectly balanced out by Impulse's slightly more serious demeanour, Stress's fond admonitions when it got clear discussions started to turn in circles, False's no-nonsense approach and Ramal's and Ex's dry humoured comments, Dick felt like he finally truly understood why his uncle had left to be with them.


	10. Chapter 10

Xisuma could hear the murmurs of conversation get louder as he approached the throne room, Wels a few steps behind him, Chancellor Karlsson next to him.

He had to suppress a sigh. He didn't look forward to making anything about this whole situation official, but he knew he had to, and he had to do it now to be able to ease over any internal political tensions and get a unified front for anything Pesara might throw at them. He had talked about it with Wels and Karlsson, no, Elias he had told him to call him, and they had worked out a plan to make things as smoothly as they could.

Things had been sped up a little by the impending arrival of Wels's father, and the fact that both Wels and Elias were in agreement about not wanting him to be there for their announcement. Xisuma had never met the man and he had never been well-versed enough in court politics to know much about him, but he knew that he was a man of significant power, who had rather strict ideas about how things should be.

Wels had tried to be polite about it, but Elias had snorted and said, "You're too nice, he's a terrible, stuck up man, who thinks his notion of tradition is more important than what's good for the country."

"That's...fairly accurate," Wels had said.

Elias had only smiled gently, before they had gone back to discussing the announcement.

Xisuma was glad he had both of them to advise him, Elias had unparalleled insight into the affairs of the country and Wels knew when and how to explain things Xisuma didn't know, not to mention his level-headed approach and strategic mind.

They reached the doors to the throne room, and Xisuma nodded to the guards when they opened them and let them in.

He had been to this throne room only once before, when they had first arrived in Snefjella, on Stress's invitation, and the large hall was still breath-taking. Like the rest of the castle it was built from grey stone, but the walls were interspersed by large windows, held in light blue and white stained glass. Above their heads hung the newest addition to the room, a gift from the Hermits after Stress had offered them the land east of what was now Hermitville and had given them a place to call their home. Xisuma and Ex had contributed hundreds of end rods, their white light glistening off the magenta and purple glass panes they were surrounded with, produced by Cub and Scar, while Doc had contributed the iron bars and chains that fixed them to the vaulted ceiling. The design itself had been a collaboration between False and Ren, the glass and endrods looking almost like glittering rain from the right angle. But as marvellous as it was it only complemented the throne itself, a fantastical construction that almost looked like it was made from ice. And it surely could have been, Xisuma knew that it wasn’t beyond the powers of the queens of Snefjella, except that Stress had told them once that it had been created long ago by a master glass worker. The light of the endrods made it glisten and look even more like ice.

Xisuma reached the dais it was standing on and stepped up onto the lowest step, turning round to face the crowd.

A hush had fallen over them, those who hadn't recognised him had surely figured out who he was already. Xisuma looked around seriously, trying to gauge the mood. There were a few confused faces, some concerned, some frowning. But for now no one seemed openly hostile at least.

Xisuma took a deep breath.

"Some of you might know who I am, others will probably have guessed," he said. "My name is Xisuma, I'm the leader of the Hermits. Before she left for Pesara Queen Stress asked me to step in as regent should something happen. She left copies of the signed and sealed appointment with both me and Chancellor Karlsson, all of us hoping we would not need to make use of them.

"Several Hermits were in attendance at the same ball as she was in order to protect the queen. One of them sent us a message that arrived about ten days after the day of the event to tell us that there was an attack against the event and her majesty as well as Guard Captain False had to flee the scene along with the Hermits in attendance. They are on their way home but we don't know how long it will take for them to reach Snefjella again, nor do we know the exact circumstances of what happened in Pesara.

"Chancellor Karlsson and I discussed the situation extensively and we both agree that we have no choice but to follow the queen's wishes."

He paused for a moment, waiting for everyone to calm down again.

"Furthermore, on request of Captain False, Captain Wels has been reinstated as Captain of the Guard for the time until she can fulfil her duties again. These orders too were still signed by the queen herself, and Captain Wels has accepted his reinstatement."

There was more noise at that, but Xisuma ignored it this time. "A proclamation will be made to the people later today, and messengers will be sent out all over the country to carry the news everywhere within the hour."

He stepped down, returning the nods from Wels and Elias as they fell into step behind him, following him back out of the throne room.

They had work to do.

They had been travelling east for several days now and the end of the lava lake wasn't in sight yet. Impulse knew that Tango and Ramal had quietly started to look out for ledges that were easy enough to climb for all of them to cross over to the northern shore, but so far they hadn't come across any, and he doubted that they would before they had reached the eastern shore.

The terrain had become a little more difficult as well, hillier and with more steep areas that they had to find a way around. They were in a crimson forest right now, tall red trees surrounding them. The soulfire lanterns fixed to their packs seemed to do a good enough job at discouraging any hoglins and the few piglins they had glimpsed through the stems had been far off.

"We need to rest soon," Impulse said after they had climbed another hill, and looked down over the forest stretching out in front of them. It was clear that they wouldn’t be able to reach the end of it before they had to set up camp for the night.

“Let’s find a clearing in the forest when we get down and stay there,” Tango said. “We should be safe enough with the soulfire lanterns to risk it."

They all nodded and when Tango started the climb down they followed.

It didn't take long for them to find an unoccupied clearing among the crimson trees and once they had spread their lanterns around the edge of it, they started a small fire on top of a bit of soulsoil Ramal got from his supplies, the blue flames adding a small bit of protection from hoglins.

"All it's missing is some carpets," Tango said, an amused glint in his eyes.

"It could do with some pillows as well." Impulse winked at him, and Tango laughed.

"Not with this much company," he said.

He had to dodge a pebble of netherrack Ramal threw at his head and Stress sighed.

"Boys please," she said. "We don't need to know what you get up to in private."

Tango shot her a mock offended look. "What do you mean? I would never kiss and tell."

"It's not the kissing I'm worried about," Ramal muttered, and Impulse had to chuckle as he leaned into Tango's side.

Tango was smiling when he turned his head to kiss the corner of his mouth. Impulse buried his nose against the side of his neck for a moment, closing his eyes as he breathed in his scent. If he focused on Tango and the natural sounds of the forest around them he could almost believe they were back in the palace gardens. The way Tango's arm tightened around him and his thumb brushing over his skin just above his belt told him he was thinking the same.

They quickly went to sleep after dinner, and Impulse sat down on an overturned stem, Tango between his spread legs, leaning his head against Impulse's knee before his breath evened out. Impulse shook his head fondly as he threaded his fingers through his hair, gently scratching at his scalp. It made Tango sigh and smile, and Impulse couldn't suppress a smile of his own.

His watch was uneventful at first. He could hear a few hoglins off in the distance, but none of them ventured far enough in their direction to become a problem. He kept an eye on their surroundings but he didn't think he had to worry too much.

Then there was a sound at the edge of the clearing and when he looked up he saw a piglin stand between the stems, watching them with a curious expression.

His fingers tightened a little in Tango's hair, and a gentle mental nudge was enough to wake him up.

Tango kept his eyes closed as Impulse softly said, "We're just passing through. We will be gone in the morning."

The piglin watched him for a moment before they looked around the clearing and with a small nod they turned and walked away.

"Sorry for waking you," Impulse whispered. "I wasn't sure what they were going to do."

"It's okay. You should sleep. I'll take over."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Tango got up and smiled at him. "I'm awake now anyways."

He leaned in and brushed a kiss against Impulse's lips.

"Rest," he said gently, before he sat down next to him.

"Okay." Impulse pulled him in for another kiss, putting a little more heat behind this one, just to remind Tango of the memories they had made in another clearing like this, far away.

Tango smiled and Impulse slid down from the stem, leaning against Tango's knee before he closed his eyes.

He had almost drifted off when the piglin returned, eyeing Tango for a moment before shrugging and gently putting down some things at the edge of the clearing before it disappeared again, Tango's soft "Thank you" still hanging in the air.

Wels was one of the first people to be informed of his father's arrival. It was Gertha who came to find him, and she barely managed to get the news out before they could hear his father's voice out in the hallway, demanding to be let through.

It was a testament to how well the guard was trained and to their loyalty that they didn't budge.

Wels sighed. "I guess I can't avoid him, can I?" he said.

"I'm afraid not, Captain. We both know how he gets."

"That we do."

Wels got up with another sigh and opened the door to his office.

"Let him through," he ordered the two guards blocking the hallway, and they immediately stepped aside.

Wels's father breezed past them as if they weren't even there and then he breezed past Wels in the same manner.

"You can go," he told Gertha, who didn't move an inch.

"The lieutenant stays," Wels said. "Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of her."

He knew he needed to make the chain of command clear. Not because of Gertha, he knew she would only follow his commands, but to his father who liked to think he had more to say than he did.

"I hear you have replaced that Hermit again," his father said. "This is the first good decision that has been made in a while. We need someone loyal to Snefjella on this post, not some outsider."

Wels raised an eyebrow. "False will resume her post as soon as she is back," he said calmly. "We have made that very clear. My reappointment is temporary. And you should be careful with the things you say about her majesty's guard captain. I will only warn you this once."

"They must have addled your brain more than I thought. You always had weird notions about how things should be in this country. It's sad to see they managed to brainwash you like this."

Wels didn't say anything for a moment. Instead he focused on his father. His age was starting to show. His hair had gone fully white since the last time Wels had seen him, and the wrinkles in his face made him look even more constantly disapproving than he used to. Wels turned to Gertha.

“Lieutenant, remind me what the sentence for treason in Snefjella is,” he said.

If she was surprised by his question she didn’t show it, and her voice was steady when she said, “The exact sentence depends on the judgement of the queen, or any regent she appointed. But usually it is prison for life at the very least, more likely death.”

"Thank you lieutenant."

His father looked at him agape.

"Surely you can't…"

"I can and I will," Wels said coldly. "You may misunderstand my notions of honour and loyalty, but I assure you that I know where my loyalty lies and what my responsibilities are."

His father was about to say more when there was a knock at the door and Xisuma came in.

He stopped just inside the door. "I hope I am not interrupting anything important," he said, looking between Wels and his father.

"You are not," Wels assured him. "If I may introduce the Lord Wels, my father? This is Master Xisuma, regent in her majesty's absence."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Xisuma said, his face carefully blank, before he shot Wels a look. "I can come back later if you're occupied."

"His lordship was about to leave."

Wels father nodded, and bowed curtly towards Xisuma. "It's an honour to meet you. If you'll excuse me, my wife is surely waiting." He quickly passed Xisuma but stopped at the door.

"I hope you have kinder words for your mother when you go to see her," he said, before he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, the door falling closed behind him with a thud.

"I get why you and Elias were so set on getting the announcement out before he arrived," Xisuma said after a moment. "Will he be any trouble?"

"Oh he will definitely be," Wels said, his shoulders finally relaxing. "But I reminded him that there are boundaries that should not be crossed."

"Will he heed that warning?"

Wels barked out a short laugh. "Not even he would stoop to treason. He just needs to be reminded of it sometimes."

"I trust you to handle things fairly if he escalates," Xisuma said with a nod. "Anyways, I just received a letter from Queen Malika. She is sending an envoy to take over Ramal's duties for the time being. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Thank you. Has she had any news on how Pesara is reacting?"

"Not yet. I assume her envoy will be able to tell us more though."

"Good. We'll make sure to get the guard ready for their arrival."

Xisuma nodded again. He put a gentle hand on Wels's arm. "I'll get going again. But remember what I told you that first evening. It's no shame to have to step away, even in a crisis."

Wels smiled. "I know. Thanks X."

And with another nod Xisuma turned and left, while Wels turned towards Gertha.

"So I guess we'll have to plan for a djinn envoy at court on top of whatever trouble my father will stir."

She smiled. "Well, I think we can handle that much."

Wels laughed and went back around the desk to sit down. He had a feeling that the envoy would be the least of their problems.

Stress didn't like to admit it, but the Nether started to get to her. She didn't usually have trouble with it, but she also tried to spend as little time as possible in it. Her powers that had been a part of her for her entire life were based on ice, and they did not mix well with the heat of the Nether for long periods of time. Lava and fire were diametrically opposed to her ice, and she started to feel it. She tired a little easier and with each additional day they spent walking along the shores of the lava lake she could feel her power struggle a little more.

There wasn't anything she could do about it, and she didn't think anyone realised yet. The journey was taking its toll on all of them, even Tango seemed a little more tired than usual, and she knew Impulse had started brewing up additional strength potions, likely anticipating that they would all need them before long.

She caught False looking at her over her shoulder and even though she was smiling Stress could see that she was worried. She had to suppress a sigh. False knew her better than anyone, she should have expected her to catch on to the fact that something was wrong. But she also knew False long enough to know that she wouldn't say anything where the others could hear. Not for now at least. She would be watching and only step in when she thought Stress was getting reckless with her determination not to worry anyone.

She watched False now where she walked in front of her. Her long blond hair that she usually kept open was in a simple braid for once, and as much as Stress loved to see it open the braid suited her.

They ascended another hill, and False stopped at the top for a moment, one hand casually resting on the hilt of her sword as she surveyed the landscape in front of them. There was another warped forest coming up, but Stress didn’t have eyes for it. She had to think back to the day her mother died. The queen had always been prone to illness, and this latest one had taken more of a toll on her than usual. Young as she was, Stress had been living with the possibility of her mother’s imminent death for a while, and she was prepared for this day.

She had sat at the side of her mother’s bed, holding her hand, and all she had been able to do was wait. No one had expected the queen to wake up again, but she did shortly before sunset. Her smile was weak but warm when she looked at Stress, and her voice was surprisingly strong when she said, “I want everyone but my daughter to leave.”

No one had dared to disagree, and Stress had only listened to the shuffling feet behind her and the sound of the door closing.

Only when the room had fallen silent around them had Stress allowed herself to bury her head against her mother’s chest and cry.

The queen had let her for a moment, before she said, “I wish I didn’t have to put this burden on you yet, but I’m afraid there is not much time left for me.”

And Stress had nodded through her tears and had listened to her mother’s last words.

The very last thing she had said before she had closed her eyes forever had been, “I hope that one day you will find someone you will love enough that you would give up everything for them and who would give up everything for you. If you do, make sure to hold on to them, no matter what others might tell you. That kind of love is more important than politics could ever be.”

Stress had promised her, and with a soft smile the queen had closed her eyes and sighed one last time. She had died just as the sun had disappeared completely behind the horizon.

Stress hadn’t fully understood what her mother meant until she had met the Hermits and False. When she had invited them to Snefjella it had been out of curiosity more than anything. She had heard rumours about them, some worse than others, but none convincing her that they deserved to be ostracised the way some people seemed to want to. And when they had entered her throne room for the first time and she had exchanged the first formal words with Xisuma she had known that she wanted to help them find a home.

The decision to hand the area east of the plateau to them had been easy. It wasn't easy terrain to build on, but Xisuma had told her that wouldn't be an issue, and she had gladly signed the land over to them.

She had followed their progress with interest, and Xisuma had always been happy to keep her updated.

It had still surprised her when he had sent Ren and False with an invitation to a small private celebration upon the completion of the first part of the castle. But she had accepted and only brought Wels to attend with her after he insisted on not letting her go alone.

Xisuma had been almost apologetic about the fact that they were not as sophisticated as she was used to, but it had taken her all of five minutes and Doc breaking the ice with a dry humoured joke to know that she wouldn't have them any other way.

Her feelings for False had taken longer to blossom, and even longer to admit to her, but when they had finally gotten to that point, shortly after Xisuma had extended an invitation for her to become part of their family, things had finally fallen into place for her.

She looked at False now and she knew they would both give up everything for each other. But it went further than that. She saw the Hermits, the family she had found with them, and she knew she would do the same for any of them just like they would for her.

The way they had jumped to make sure she would be safe to attend the ball in Pesara and the lengths to which they had been willing to go were a testament to that. Whether it was Tango making use of his birth right as crown prince and now guiding them through the Nether, or Xisuma agreeing to take a position he had never wanted, or Wels returning to a court he may have left reluctantly but never looked back to; she knew they did that because they loved her, and she was willing to do whatever it took to return that love, even if it meant more diplomatic tensions than she liked to think about.

She still thought about it when Ramal said, "I think we have found the eastern shore."

She focused and saw what he meant. Ahead of them the lava lake seemed to finally end, the shore bending around northwards. Stress breathed a sigh of relief, and that was when she noticed something else and stopped.

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. There were the smells of the Nether she had gotten used to, the heat and the sulphur and the way the air seemed to try and choke off her breath but there was something else, something fresher, something familiar.

She took another deep breath and that was when she realised what it reminded her of.

"The snowy fields of the North," she whispered. "An incoming blizzard. The Northern Seas in winter, frozen over with ice thick enough to venture out and travel on it."

"What's the matter?" False said softly, right next to her, and she opened her eyes with a smile.

"There is more ahead," she said. "There is ice in the Nether and I know only one person who could have put it there."

"You mean…" Ex said with wide eyes.

"Yes, I think we finally found them."


	11. Chapter 11

Dick wasn't quite sure what had everyone excited about Stress's revelation, but the anticipation was almost palpable as she took over the lead and guided them along the eastern shore of the lava lake and then a bit further away from it.

Finally they reached a path in the nether wastes, bordered by black stone and with ice in the middle, and they turned to follow along it and into a tunnel to a cave with a Nether portal.

They stopped and Dick looked around curiously. It was obvious that the cave was used by someone, there were chests along the walls, some with equipment lying on top of them.

"You're sure it's him?" Tango asked quietly and Stress nodded.

"Yes. We grew up together, I'd recognise his magic anywhere."

"It feels like him," Ex agreed, his eyes glowing faintly.

Tango nodded but before anyone could say more they could hear voices from the tunnel.

"Come on, who's supposed to believe that?" someone said, clearly amused.

"I'm just saying that it could have happened, Beefers." The second person laughed, and then they came around the last bend of the tunnel.

"Etho!" Stress said, and a moment later she had run up to a man with a wild mop of white hair, the lower half of his face obscured by a mask, one eye shining red, and thrown her arms around him.

"Stress?" His voice sounded as surprised as he looked even as he hugged her back.

"How did you guys find us?" The other guy asked, eyeing them out of strikingly blue eyes.

"It's a long story," Stress said, before she turned to him and hugged him, too. "We're so glad to see you alive."

"We're glad to see you, too." He smiled kindly.

"Is it just you guys, or…" Ex asked.

The two men exchanged a look.

"Let's go through to the Overworld first," the second man said. "You all look like you could use a place to sit down."

"And to wash up. You're lucky the Nether is so smelly." Dick couldn't see half of Etho's face but it was clear that he was grinning.

"You walk through the Nether for three weeks and we'll see how you smell," Tango said as he went in for a hug.

Etho accepted it with a laugh.

"It's good to see you man." Tango clapped him on the shoulder before he stepped back.

"Something's different about you," Etho said, tilting his head.

Tango threw a look to the side where Impulse stood, watching their reunion.

"A lot happened," he simply said.

"Well, no place to tell stories like an actual camp," the other man said cheerfully. "Let's go."

He herded them all towards the portal and one by one they stepped through and back into the Overworld.

On the other side of the portal was a jungle, the trees around them rising tall into the sky, vines trailing down from their branches. There was a camp set up, nothing too fancy, just a fire pit surrounded by chests, a simple roof above it to protect everything from rain. Someone had planted a small garden a bit to the side of it, and past that Dick could hear the sounds of chickens.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Etho said. "Deep in the jungle, far away from civilisation. The ultimate retreat if you want to wind down a little."

Stress hit his arm with a roll of her eyes but before she could say anything the plants at the edge of the camp shifted and they all turned to watch.

A figure stepped out of the undergrowth, covered in vines, eyes glowing a bright green. It was hard to see but Dick remembered it as if it was yesterday.

"Uncle," he whispered.

He was about to step forward, when Impulse's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Let me," he said, stepping past him.

He approached the figure slowly and stopped a few metres away from him, while he unbuckled his weapons belt and gently put it down on the ground. He scooped up some earth, and cradled it in his hands.

"We're not here to hurt you or them," he said calmly. "We're his friends and family."

The figure tilted its head and watched Impulse curiously for a moment before its eyes were drawn to the dirt in his hands.

Dick caught a glimpse of green that hadn't been there before, just as the figure stepped in and cupped its hands around whatever plant Impulse had made grow.

When it stepped back again there was a blooming flower that Impulse gently put down on the ground.

"Will you let him go?" He asked gently and the figure did nothing for a moment before it nodded.

The vines retreated from his uncle's skin, pulling back underneath his clothes, and the bright green in his eyes faded until their usual deep brown was visible.

Dick's uncle blinked once, twice, and then he said, "Where am I?"

Before anyone could make a move their two hosts had pushed past them and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Bdubs…" Etho said, but he trailed off in favour of leaning his head against Bdubs' shoulder.

"Where's Doc?"

Etho and the other man exchanged a look. "We...we don't know. He disappeared. We haven't seen him since...since we lost him," the second man said.

There was pain in his uncle's face, Dick noticed, but then Ex stepped forward.

"Doc is alive. He only barely made it back home, but he is fine. Or at least he was when we left the Hermitage four months ago."

"How long have I been gone?"

"Four years, two months and five days," Ex said quietly. "At least if Doc remembered the date correctly."

There was a pained sound, but then his uncle closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he looked around their group.

"It seems we have a lot to catch up on," he said, before his eyes landed on Dick. "Including why my nephew is travelling with you."

He let go of his two companions and stepped in to hug Dick.

"I missed you," he said simply, and Dick had to swallow as he hugged him back.

Of all the people to meet on this trip, he hadn’t expected his lost uncle to be one of them.

After they had gotten introductions out of the way, Beef showed them along a path down to the river, where a calm natural pool with enough room to swim lay. He took Stress and False a bit further upriver to a second pool, and as soon as they had vanished, Tango was already throwing off his shirt and stepping out of his pants and all but jumped into the pool. Impulse chuckled as he undressed a bit more slowly, before he waded into the water and followed Tango under the surface.

He found him almost immediately, coming back up from the bottom for air, and when they both broke through the surface again Impulse realised how dull his hair had gotten in the Nether. It almost seemed to glow in the sun now, the usually unruly golden strands sticking to his forehead before he pushed them out of the way.

Impulse smiled and darted in for a kiss, before he ducked back underwater and swam away, knowing Tango would follow.

They ended up under a tree, its branches hanging down low, almost forming a cave that protected them from the views of the others. Impulse pulled Tango in as soon as he had come up and taken a deep breath, and Tango came easily, a smile on his face as he pushed Impulse through the water until his back hit the trunk of the tree.

Only then did Tango kiss him, his lips hot against Impulse's. Impulse sighed into it and wrapped his arms around his neck, tilting his head up a little to deepen the kiss. They both knew they couldn't go further than this, but it had been too long since he had felt Tango's skin against his, his hands on his hips, his arms sliding around his lower back as they had to come up for air and Tango buried his head against the crook of his neck.

"I missed you," Tango said. "I know I told you before, but...I just needed to say it again."

Impulse smiled and kissed his temple.

"I missed you, too," he said.

"I can't wait for this to be over."

"It will be eventually."

"Yeah…"

They lapsed into silence, just holding each other, while the quiet conversations of their family drifted over the water.

Finally Impulse gently pushed him away.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too." Tango smiled and leaned in for another quick kiss.

"Come on, we should get our clothes clean."

Tango nodded and slowly they swam out of their cave and across the pool back to where the others were.

Later that night, when the sun had already set and they could catch an occasional glimpse of stars through the canopy above them, they sat around the fire pit in Etho's and Beef's camp and caught them up on everything they had missed.

The mood turned a bit sombre when Tango, by far the best story teller among them, talked about losing Impulse, but it passed quickly as he moved on, the only sign that remained of it their hands resting on Tango's thigh, fingers intertwined.

He talked long into the night, and by the time he was done the moon was high in the sky.

"Wow we definitely missed a lot," Etho said finally.

"You sure did." Tango smiled. "Never a boring day with this lot."

"True." Etho laughed.

Bdubs looked pensive, before he looked at Impulse and asked, "But...what possessed me?"

"I guess you could call it the spirit of the forest," Impulse said after a moment. "They are not very common, but very old forests have them sometimes. I'm not sure why it possessed you, but I think it likes you and it wanted to protect you from something. For the forest four years were not nearly as much time as they were for any of us, it was merely the blink of an eye. It's still there, I doubt it will go away completely, but it has pulled back for now. It's probably watching right now, trying to understand the situation."

"You sound like you met one of these spirits before," Etho said.

"You find them in forests where witches live occasionally. Or rather you find witches in forests with their own spirits. Our magic complements each other. The one I met lives in the forest south of Kell's."

"Where Gertrude lives?" Beef looked surprised.

Impulse had to laugh. "Have none of you ever wondered how she knows everything that goes on in that forest? Sure, she is powerful even among our kind, but she also has the help of the forest itself."

Ex blinked. "So that's why her magic weaves around the trees like that and yours doesn't," he said, as if the realisation was just hitting him. "She's connected to it, but you aren't."

Impulse nodded. "I wager that if you looked at the magic of this place you would see a similar effect coming from Bdubs."

"But I'm not a witch. There's like...not even a tiny bit of magical talent in our family."

"You don't have to be a witch to be connected to the spirit of the forest. Witches have it a bit easier, because we have magic of our own and the forest amplifies it. But the forest can connect to anyone it chooses. If you want me to, I can show you how to communicate with it tomorrow so you can figure out why it has possessed you."

"If it won't hold us up too long. It's a long way home from here."

"A few days won't hurt," Stress said. "It's probably better if we rest up a little at least anyways."

"Besides, we gotta sort through our things to figure out what to take along," Etho added.

"Okay then," Bdubs said and Impulse nodded.

"We should probably go to sleep," Beef said. "It's getting pretty late and I'm sure you're all tired."

There were nods around the group, and Tango only barely suppressed a yawn as he said, "Do we need someone to keep watch?"

"No," Impulse said. "The forest is watching over us." He closed his eyes and reached out. "There is nothing that would hurt us close."

Beef and Etho exchanged a look.

"Well, we never had any problems with wild animals," Beef said. "Thanks for protecting us." The last was directed at the trees around them and a shiver seemed to run through their branches.

"Well I guess that answers that question." Beef got up. "Come on, it's gonna get a little cramped, but I think we can find space for everyone."

It didn't take long for all of them to find a place to sleep. Bdubs seemed a little reluctant, but Beef rolled his eyes at him and pulled him along to where Etho was already waiting for them, and Impulse saw them pull him down to sleep between them.

"They've always been close like that," Tango said softly next to him. "They and Doc. They were inseparable before. It'll be good to see them reunited." He sighed, and then he pulled at Impulse's hand. "Come, we need to sleep, too."

Impulse nodded and he went easily when Tango pulled him down to lie next to him.

Dick watched curiously as Impulse took his uncle a bit away from the camp and sat down with him on the ground. They were far enough away that no one could easily overhear them but still close enough to be seen. He almost jumped when a hand clasped his shoulder.

"He always talked about you, kiddo," Etho said, clearly amused by his surprise. "Always said you'd be a better king than your father. Give him some time. He just woke up after being possessed for four years."

Dick nodded and when Etho silently nodded his head back towards the storage chests of the camp he followed.

He helped Etho clear out chests and sort through things and then he accompanied him back through the portal into the Nether to throw what they didn't need into a lava pit.

That evening they sat around the fire discussing where to go, and Dick was glad no one seemed to expect him to be able to contribute much. He knew his geography, and he wasn't completely helpless but the Hermits were clearly far more used to planning out long journeys like this and knew what to do.

"Supplies will probably be our biggest issue," Ramal said. "It's a long journey and we can't take everything we need with us.

"We'll need to get horses at some point," False added. "If only to travel faster."

"How are we on funds?"

"We should be fine," Tango said with a shrug. "I think that's the least of our concerns."

Ex had looked pensive throughout the conversation so far, but now he looked around the group with a sigh.

"I know someone who will help us," he said.

"That sounds mysterious," Beef said, raising one eyebrow.

Another sigh. "It's Keralis. He lives in a small city not far from the Western edge of the jungle."

"Keralis?" Beef's eyebrow somehow went higher. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm not thrilled by it, but he will help."

Beef scoffed, but then he shook his head. "It's your decision man."

They lapsed into silence and Dick asked curiously, "Who's Keralis?"

There were looks exchanged, as if no one quite wanted to reply, but then his uncle said, "He was a Hermit, but he left. It was years ago, before I joined even."

And maybe they hadn't seen each other since his uncle had left, but Dick remembered his tone well enough to know that that was all he was willing to say.

"Beef is right, Ex. You're the one who has the most reason to avoid him. It's your decision," False said, though she did not look thrilled by the idea.

Ex sighed again. "Maybe it's time to let the past be the past," he finally said. "It's not like I can go back and knock sense into their skulls before they messed things up. They've both moved past it as far as I can tell."

"So. We get out of the jungle, go ask Keralis for help, and then we're on our merry way back home," Etho summarised. "Which will take us what? Seven weeks? Eight?"

"At the very least," Ex said. "Which means we will likely arrive in Snefjella around the same time as any messenger from Pesara would."

"Xisuma, Wels and Elias should be able to hold down the fort until then," Stress said. "Knowing Elias he will already have started planning their response."

"You sent Wels back to court?" Etho asked, surprised.

"We needed someone there who knows their way around and who can help Xisuma," False said. "Wels was the obvious choice. He's reinstated as captain of the guard."

"Makes sense, I guess."

"How do we get out of this jungle?" Beef asked. "Because believe me, we tried. We never found a way."

"I'll lead you out," Dick's uncle said. "The forest and I talked and it's willing to help."

"So we leave tomorrow? Or do we need more time to sort out things here?" Tango asked.

Beef and Etho exchanged a look. "We're all done," Etho said.

"So am I." Dick's uncle looked around the group. "Let's leave tomorrow and go back home."

Bdubs led the others through the jungle without even thinking too much about where he was going. He could feel the spirit of the forest guide him and he realised that he knew every nook and cranny of the jungle. Where the undergrowth looked too thick to pass through the plants seemed to bend out of the way to create a path for them, and where they had to cross small rivers that seemed to fast or deep to cross easily they created bridges they could walk across safely.

It gave him ample time to think and consider everything the others had told them about what had been going on in their absence. Something bothered him about the ball and the way his brother was practically asking for a war with Snefjella. Sure he had never liked the Hermits, and his dislike had turned into hatred when Bdubs himself had informed him of his decision to join them, but all-out war when it was clear that he would have to fight on two fronts at least, was not his brother's style. He was irrational sometimes but even he knew that he could not win a war like that. Not with the djinn right at the Southern border and Finis far more inclined to side with Snefjella. Not to mention that it was well known that the Finisians did not look kindly at the kind of backstabbing his brother was taking part in.

And then there was the mystery of the seal the djinn had found. Bdubs wasn't entirely up to date on Pesaran court politics, but Dick had mentioned that the Mondavo family had fallen out of favour at court, and it felt like he should know why. They were lesser nobles, who had picked up trading to supplement their income from their small estate. Mostly wine that was produced in the area, and most of it to the north.

"That's it," Bdubs said out loud, stopping in his tracks as the realisation hit him. "That's what doesn't match up."

He turned around meeting the confused looks of his companions.

"The Mondavo family. I've been trying to figure out why they might have fallen out of favour. They're wine traders, selling the wine from around their family estate. That doesn't help them get the favour of the King, but it shouldn't make them lose it either."

"Unless they have trading connections the king doesn't like," Beef said, looking thoughtful.

"Their main trading partners are Snefjellan nobles. Or at least they used to be when I was still at court."

He could see Dick's eyes widen.

"They still are," he said. "That's why I felt it was weird they were involved."

"A dove on top of a tower," False said thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it I've seen that seal before. It was on a wine bottle Elias got from someone. I can't remember who though."

"But why would a family that has trade ties to Snefjella risk war with her?" Ramal said, frowning. "That doesn't make sense."

"I have no idea," Bdubs admitted. "And I don't think we will be able to find out before we get back."

He shook his head and turned around again. "Let's get out of this jungle. It shouldn't be far now."


	12. Chapter 12

Wels gave his parents a few days to settle in before he went to talk to his mother, if only so he could avoid his father more easily by going to her at a time when he was definitely out.

The townhouse that had been built by his grandfather looked as immaculate as ever, and an odd sense of déjà vu overcame him when he knocked on the front door.

The polite smile on the face of the footman who opened the door for him was replaced by something a lot more genuine when he saw Wels.

"Master Wels," he said. "Welcome."

"It's good to see you, Karl," Wels said, as he stepped inside. "I hope you're doing well."

"Ah it is what it is. You're here to see your mother, I assume."

Wels nodded. "I hope she is free."

"She's just having a late breakfast in the dining room. She will be happy to see you." Karl smiled and even though they both knew that Wels was perfectly capable of finding the dining room himself, he led him towards its grand dark oak wood doors. Karl knocked and opened the door, bowing to Wels's mother as he announced, "Your son is here to see you, milady."

Lady Brunhilde looked gentle and sweet and her smile was still as warm as Wels remembered from his childhood when she got up to pull him into a hug.

"It's good to see you," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm good." He returned her smile with one of his own. "I assume father has told you about his visit."

"Not much. But I could tell he wasn't happy with what you said to him." There was no judgement in her tone. She had known for a long time that Wels and his father were at odds on the best of days, and she had always supported her son and at times even helped him avoid his father as best as she could. Wels had never fully understood why she stayed with him when it was clear that she opposed his views and it was her right to get a divorce, but he respected her choice.

"Some of what he said bordered on treason, and I may have reminded him of what the consequences are," he said as he followed her to the table and sat down at her side.

"Ah, that will do it." She didn't sound surprised. "Do you want something? I can call for the servants to get you some breakfast."

Wels smiled. "Thank you, but I've been up for a while already and Xisuma and I had breakfast earlier."

She nodded. "I hear he has been busy. He can be glad that he has you by his side to help him."

"That's why I got my commission back. Stress and False thought he should have someone here who can help him navigate court."

"Our queen and the captain are wise. Have you had any news from them?"

"None." Wels shook his head with a sigh. "And we are not sure when we will. It is a long way home from Pesara."

"They will return eventually. I'm sure they are fine. They have support, I hear."

"Yes, Ex is there, as well as Tango, Impulse and Ramal. There are few people I would trust more with their safety."

His mother shook her head with a sigh, she had always been able to see right through him. "It is not your job anymore to make sure our queen is safe," she said gently. "You passed on that responsibility when you stepped down from your post to be with Zed."

"I know." Wels ducked his head. "But they are still my friends."

"And you wouldn't be my son if you felt any differently." She reached over and squeezed his hand before she took a sip of her juice and asked, "Tell me, how is Zed?"

"He was well the last time I saw him three weeks ago. But I haven't been able to go home for a visit, and he has been busy caring for Impulse's wolves and taking care of the farm."

"If you speak to him pass on my greetings. I would love to see him again. If he can find the time he is always welcome to visit."

"I will make sure to mention it when I get the chance." Wels smiled softly. He was glad at least his mother approved of Zed, and he was sure that he would be happy to visit her if he could. "But tell me, how have you been since your last letter?"

Brunhilde smiled and soon enough she was catching him up on the gossip of the Snefjellan nobility, knowing that her insights would help him and Xisuma navigate their responses to whatever was to come.

They reached the town in the early evening two days after leaving the jungle behind. It was small but well maintained and Ex led them through the dark streets to a bookshop, light spilling out from its windows, and entered without hesitation.

A little bell above the door rang when he opened it, and a moment after it had fallen closed behind them steps approached from the back.

"We're about to close," a cheerful voice called out, just before someone walked around a bookshelf, piled precariously high with tomes of all sizes.

Keralis hadn't changed much since the last time Ex had seen him, his large eyes still giving the impression that he was either constantly excited or shocked. His eyebrows drew together in a frown when he saw them just for his eyes to widen when Ex pulled back the hood of his cloak and revealed his face.

"Evil Shashwammy," he said. "What a surprise."

"It's just Ex these days," Ex replied, resisting the urge to grind his teeth at the old nickname.

Keralis tilted his head to the side in consideration before he shrugged. "Ex then. What brings you to my humble abode?"

"We need your help."

Keralis smiled brightly. "But of course Ev-Ex. Anything for my old friends. Just let me close up the shoppy."

He stepped past them to lock the door, and grabbed a box from behind the counter before he dimmed the lights and motioned for them to follow him up the stairs.

Upstairs was a cosy apartment, filled with more books, the furniture and decor speaking of someone who had acquired some measure of wealth.

"Give me just one moment," Keralis said, before he disappeared through a door. They could hear him rummage around for a moment before he came back out, the box gone from his hands. He looked around, and smiled. "Stress, Falsie, Etho, Vintage Kebab, it's so nice to see your beautiful faces again. Who have you brought along?"

"These are Ramal, Tango, Impulse, Bdubs and Dick," Ex introduced the others.

"How nice to meet you. You are all far from home."

"It's a long story. We had to make a detour on our way back from Pesara, and found Etho, Beef and Bdubs not far from here in the jungle."

Keralis tilted his head before he smiled at the three, "I had heard that you had gone missing but I didn't realise it was so close. It's good to see you're alive."

"Thanks Keralis," Beef smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's good to see you're alive as well."

"You said you need-" Keralis started but then there was a loud knock on the entrance door that led right to the apartment, and he sighed. "I'm coming!" he called out, shooting them an apologetic smile as he went to open the door just enough that he could see who was outside.

"Hey Keralis," whoever was outside said. "Hypno called me over. He said he saw some suspicious figures enter your shop. I just wanted to check if everything's alright."

"It's all good," Keralis said. "Just some old friends."

"You sure?"

Ex couldn't see Keralis face or who it was that stood outside, but Keralis shook his head and stepped back.

"See it's all good," he said to the two men standing in front of the door, before turning back to Ex and the others. "This is xB and Hypno, they're part of the city guard.”

xB eyed them curiously, taking in their weapons and the way they were clearly dressed for a longer journey. The man behind him, Hypno waved at them, a baked potato in his hand.

"Hello, nice to meet you," he said, and xB shook his head with a sigh.

"I don't think I've seen you around before," he said matter-of-factly.

Keralis looked between them before he seemed to come to a decision and motioned xB and Hypno to come inside, closing the door behind them.

"They're really just some old friends," he said.

Ex had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. xB didn't look like he was going to take that for an answer.

"We're Hermits," he said, deciding to cut this as short as possible. "We won't be staying long. We just need some help procuring horses and provisions and we will be on our way."

"Hermits huh?" xB threw Keralis a look. "You never told me you knew the Hermits."

Keralis shrugged. "I left a long time ago."

"So you are one of them?"

"Was," Beef said. "He was one of us."

"Technically he still is one of us," Ex said, finally rolling his eyes. "He left the Hermitage but not the Hermits. At least Xisuma never saw it that way."

He could see that Beef had his own thoughts on that but Etho and Bdubs both touched his elbows and he swallowed whatever he wanted to say.

"You guys are different from the stories," Hypno said, after swallowing down a bite of his potato.

"Depends on the stories you have heard," Tango said easily. "As Ex said, we’re not here to make trouble.”

“Then why turn up in the dark and sneak in?” xB raised an eyebrow.

“We have been travelling all day," Ex said. "And if we had snuck in you wouldn't have seen us."

"Not that we have the resources to do that right now," Impulse added.

Hypno chuckled before he said, "Come on xB, we've made sure everything is okay. Let's go home. We're not on duty anymore."

xB didn't look happy with it, but he nodded. "I guess we'll leave you to it. Welcome to Casa."

He turned almost abruptly, and Hypno held the door open for him before he followed him outside with a cheerful wave at them.

"Welcoming fellows," Beef said when the door had closed behind them.

"They're good friends," Keralis said. "Now you said you will need horses and provisions. I'll help you get them. But we will have to wait until tomorrow. I don't have much room but let's eat and then we will try to find space for you all to sleep."

Later when everyone else had spread out over the house, Ex retreated to the top of the roof because he couldn't sleep. He didn't want to disturb anyone and he could be alone up here, looking at the night sky and thinking. He hadn't actually been sure that Keralis would help them, it had been a bit of a gamble, but he was glad that he had been right. Even though those among them who remembered his departure were a bit cold towards him, if not as openly hostile as Beef was.

And he got it, he really did, but years had passed since then and there were more important things at stake than keeping old grudges.

He wasn't surprised when a warm wind brushed past him and Ramal solidified next to him, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together.

"What's keeping you awake?" he asked gently.

Ex sighed. "Just… old memories I guess."

"It's Keralis and whatever reason he had to leave, right?"

Ex nodded silently and Ramal squeezed his fingers.

"You don't have to tell me," he said. "But I'll listen if you want me to."

"It's… there were some misunderstandings and different expectations between him and my brother," Ex said after a moment. "Xisuma never told him to leave but things were a bit strained between them and Keralis decided it was better for him to go. It broke my brother's heart, I think, and he was struggling for a while."

"That's why some of the others weren't happy about asking him for help, isn't it?"

"Yes." Ex nodded. "But as I said back in the jungle, it's in the past. It's not like we can change it now. And I do think Xisuma has moved on at least."

"Does he really still consider him a Hermit?"

"If he doesn't he never told me," Ex said with a shrug. "But I'm not sure he ever thought much about it. He avoided the topic as much as he could first, and by the time he was doing better again there were more important things to think about."

"And you?"

Ex barked out a laugh. "I thought they were both being ridiculous. But Keralis left before I could knock some sense into both of them, and I was more concerned with my brother after that."

They lapsed into silence for a moment before Ramal said, "And what would you do if Keralis decided to come back?"

Ex shot him a surprised look but then he shrugged. "I never thought about it. But if he wants to return he is free to. I will not stop him."

“Maybe you should tell him that so he can make the decision for himself.”

Ex considered his words for a moment before he nodded. "I think I should."

Ramal smiled and leaned in to press a kiss against his temple. "Let's go and at least try to sleep."

Ex only nodded.

Later when they were lying in their corner of the room, Ramal's arm wrapped tightly around his waist, his breath evened out, Ex couldn't help but wonder if either Keralis or his brother really had moved on.

xB had a lot to think about when he and Hypno made their rounds around the market the next day. He was still wondering why Keralis had never told them that he had been involved with the Hermits. No, that he apparently still was one of them if what the tall one with the purple eyes had said was true. It stung a little, because he had thought they were friends, but then again Keralis had never said much about his past before coming to Casa. Maybe it was that he had never even suspected that something like this could be part of Keralis' past. Either way he would be glad when they moved on and things would go back to normal.

Hypno touched his elbow, pulling him out of his thoughts, and said, "Look there's Keralis' friends. Seems like they're really just stocking up."

xB looked in the direction Hypno was pointing and there they were. Or at least some of them. The blond one with the red eyes and the shorter one with brown hair who had stood next to him last night were talking to the one with the dark brown beard who had seemed almost hostile towards Keralis. He watched as they split up, all heading in different directions. The bearded guy disappeared towards the area of the market where the leather workers and other craftsmen sold their wares, while the brown haired one went for the butchers and farmers and the blond guy disappeared towards where the travelling merchants had put up their stalls, selling goods from exotic and far away places and bringing news and stories with them.

xB couldn't help but be curious about what they were stocking up on. It was a long journey to Snefjella, and they couldn't be expecting to buy provisions for the entirety of it. But no, he had other things to focus on right now, and as nosy as he wanted to be, it would be weird to follow them. They had their rounds to do to make sure no one tried any funny business around the market.

They saw the blond one again when they made it to the travelling merchants. He was already carrying a number of items, but he seemed to be looking for something specific right now, an expression of single-minded focus on his face.

It relaxed into a happy smile when he spotted what he was looking for and crossed the street towards one of the Djinnland merchants. And xB had never had much cause to deal with them himself, they rarely made problems and for the most part the watch could leave them to their business, but even from a distance he could see the merchant's posture change. Their eyes widened as they saw the guy and it looked like they would have bowed if he hadn't stopped them with a gentle hand on their shoulder.

They had a short conversation, and when xB and Hypno’s path took them within hearing range they could just about hear the merchant say, "-only rumours, your Highness."

xB exchanged a curious look with Hypno, who casually turned off the road and into a side alley, stopping behind some crates that would block anyone on the street from seeing them.

"Maybe don't tell anyone you have seen me then. It is still a long way home and it will be hard enough to avoid rumours."

"I won't tell a soul. I am planning to go home from here anyways. If you want me to carry a message for you…?"

"I would be grateful if you could at least give a message to the commander of the first djinn garrison you pass."

"That would be the one in Hafa. But I am going to the capital from there."

"Give this to the guard at the main palace gate then and tell them I sent you. Tell...tell my mother that Impulse, Ramal, Ex and I are alive and well." He paused. "Are you passing through Finis on the way?"

"I can if you need me to, your highness."

"Could you take a message to a friend there for me?"

"Consider it done."

"She lives off the main road passing through the central forest, once you reach the edge of the forest coming from the North East you will find a small well maintained side road that leads along it towards the West. At the end of it you will find a farm. Ask for Chieftain Rhee. She’ll be hard to miss. She’s tall, with broad shoulders and her hair is red. Tell her that I'm asking her to do what she offered the last time I visited. She'll know what it means."

"I will."

"Thank you. I wish I had something to compensate you for your troubles but all I can offer right now is payment for this coffee."

"Don't worry about it, your highness. If I was in your mother's place I would want to get news from my son as well." There was a pause and the amusement was clear in the merchant's voice when they said, "I will take payment for the coffee though. It is the best I'm selling."

The guy laughed. "I'll make sure Impulse knows."

They had probably heard everything important, xB decided, and he nodded towards the far end of the side alley. Hypno followed him, the haggling between the Hermit and the merchant slowly fading behind them.

"So I guess that one's name is Tango," Hypno said after a moment.

xB side-eyed him. "How do you know these things?"

Hypno shrugged. "I just like the stories. And they say that one of them is the crown prince of the djinn."

"The...crown prince...of the djinn." xB blinked.

"Yeah. So I guess that makes the one who stood next to him Impulse. And the tall one is called Ex I believe."

"Well that guy...Tango, I guess, did say as much. Any other insights?"

"No, I don't think so. I'll tell you when I can think of anything else."

They turned back onto the main road, doing their best to look like they had only just checked the alleyway. xB couldn't help but think there was more to all of this than it seemed.

Keralis took Ramal, Ex and Bdubs to the edge of the city to a horse trader to find horses.

"He has the best horsies in town," Keralis said when they approached the stable. "I'm sure he will be able to help."

"I guess we'll see about that," Bdubs said easily as they stepped through the gate.

The horse trader seemed agreeable enough, and Ex hung back a little and let Ramal and Bdubs take over. He was aware that they knew more about horses than he ever would, and he was sure they would find the best ones to take on their journey.

They quickly worked out a system, and it wasn't long before they had found most of the horses they would need.

They were sticking their heads together, discussing one of the remaining horses they were considering, when there was a loud whinny from somewhere and Ramal perked up. He looked around and his eyes found a horse in a pen off to the side. He considered it for a moment, watching the way it kept running along the fence of its enclosure, before he turned to the trader.

"What about that one?" he asked.

"Oh you won't get happy with him. He's too nervous, rather mean-spirited as well. I don't think I'll be able to sell him."

Ramal tilted his head before he said, "Let me look at him."

The trader shrugged and led them over to the enclosure.

"He is a beauty," Bdubs said appreciatively.

"His enclosure is too small," Ramal said. "He has desert blood in him, and he misses his freedom."

He turned to Ex. "Can you get Impulse? This is his area of expertise not mine."

Ex nodded and turned on his heel, quickly leaving the stable and disappearing down the street.

Ramal turned back to the horse, who was still running around nervously. If he had to guess the djinn horse blood in his line was recent, not more than two generations in the past, still dominant enough for him to make him feel the wind in his veins and want to run with it.

"I had heard that djinn horses like to run free, but I have never seen one in real life," Bdubs said, tilting his head to the side.

"They have magic in their bloodlines, much like we do," Ramal explained. "They ride the wind. A good djinn horse is faster than any normal horse. The problem when you mix their bloodlines with other horses is that for a generation or two they seem very nervous, non-magical but just sensitive enough to their ancestors' magic to want to follow it. They can be trained, but they desire to run with the wind. Keeping them in an enclosure like this with no one knowing how to properly care for them makes them feel trapped."

"And Impulse knows how to deal with them?"

Instead of replying Ramal looked towards the gate just as Ex and Impulse walked through.

"You will see," he said with a smile.

"You wanted me to come?" Impulse asked Ramal as he came to stand next to him.

Ramal nodded towards the horse. "I think you're more suited to this one than I am."

Impulse watched the horse for a moment before he took off his cloak and handed it to Ramal, and pushed the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows.

There was a weak noise of protest from the trader when Impulse climbed onto the fence, but Ex shot him a look and he quickly closed his mouth.

Impulse dropped himself into the enclosure and made a few steps away from the fence, before he stopped and waited.

The horse ran up and down along the far side of the enclosure a few times more but then it stilled and turned its head towards Impulse. They watched each other for a moment before the horse slowly approached. Impulse waited patiently as it stretched its neck to sniff at him before he offered a hand that it gently nosed at before it levelled an unimpressed look on him and knocked its head against his shoulder.

Impulse laughed. "I'm sorry buddy, I don't have anything on me." He reached out and patted the horse's neck. "Come on, I'm sure we can find you something."

When he turned and came back to the edge of the fence the horse followed him, calm and far less nervous than it had been before.

"You…you must be a witch," the trader said, fear clear in his eyes. Ramal saw Impulse and Bdubs both tense out of the corner of his eyes, and he would never get the human fear of witches and their powers, but he did see when the trader opened his mouth, looking like he was about to shout out a call for help.

His reaction was almost instinctual, and instead of shouting the trader gasped for air, while a small gust of wind stirred the dust at his feet.

"Ramal," Impulse said sharply, the command clear in his voice, his hand buried in the mane of the horse next to him.

Ramal shot him a look, but he inclined his head even as the trader caught his breath.

"You might want to be cautious about the accusations you throw around and who you're bringing them up against," Bdubs said, casually.

"Who...who are you people?" The trader's voice was still more of a wheezing, but he looked between them as if he was about to panic.

Keralis, who had been silent until now stepped in smoothly.

"Listen, this is all a misunderstanding. Impulse here is just really good with horses. So how about we all calm down and finish what we came here for?" His smile was charming and the horse trader swallowed, but nodded slowly. "Great!" Keralis said. "I don't think you would have wanted to deal with him."

He nodded towards the gate and when Ramal looked over he saw Tango standing there, watching them intently, the tension in his shoulders betraying that he had caught enough of the conversation to know what was going on. He relaxed a little when he realised the situation had already been diffused, but his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"All good?" he asked, his eyes finding Impulse's.

Impulse nodded. "We're good," he said.

"Well that's a beautiful horse if I've ever seen one," Beef said, stepping around Tango. He had a heavy-looking sack over his shoulder and he dug into it, pulling out a carrot as he approached the fence and handed it off to Impulse, who shot him a thankful smile.

"He's half djinn horse," he said, even as he turned and held out the carrot for the horse, who quickly ate it.

"He looks quite temperamental."

"He's not that difficult if you know how to handle him." Impulse smiled. "I think we should take him," he said to Ramal and Bdubs, who both nodded.

"Then we need...one more, right?" Bdubs said, and Ramal nodded.

"Just one and we can go," he said.

He didn't smirk at the way the trader hurried to show them more horses, but it was a close thing.

False was happy to mind the bookshop together with Stress, Etho and Dick if she was honest. There was something about mostly getting to relax while the others went and took care of stocking up.

She quickly figured out that Keralis was most likely richer than it seemed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that with the amount of customers they got, his profits would allow for more than the flat upstairs. If she was honest False didn't quite know how he did it by selling nothing but books, but she could respect his entrepreneurship.

In the time between customers they all scoured the shelves or sat in a corner of the shop, talking or playing games.

"You know, I never expected Keralis to open a bookshop," False said during one of those times.

"He's a man of hidden depths," Etho said. False couldn't quite see his face from where she had her head in Stress's lap, but she knew from the sound of his voice that he was grinning under his mask.

"I would have thought he'd go into building to be honest," Stress agreed, before she moved one of her pieces on the chess board between her and Etho. "That's what he did before."

"Well he seems to be doing quite well for himself." False smiled when Stress' hand found its way back into her hair, while she waited for Etho to consider his next move.

They lapsed into silence again, until Dick cleared his throat and, curious as ever, asked, "I'm sorry if I'm overstepping any boundaries, but I’ve been wondering… how are you two related?"

"We're cousins," Etho said, moving his next piece. "My parents died even earlier than hers and after I had to live with a beaver family for a winter, her mum took me in and we grew up together."

Stress snorted. "You did not live with a beaver family for a winter."

"But I could have."

"Your parents died in summer, you arrived at court in autumn."

Etho chuckled but before he could say more the door of the shop opened again and they could hear the others return, their steps coming towards them and the conversation ended as abruptly as it began.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note that I really can't tell how long updates will take me. I got some stuff going on irl so making sure to keep updates persistent is even less of a priority than usual.

It was after dinner when they were sitting around the makeshift table they had assembled out of whatever appropriate pieces of furniture Keralis had had around that Bdubs asked, "So how did you calm that horse this afternoon?"

Impulse was comfortably leaning into Tango, their fingers entwined where Tango had his arm around his shoulders, but he shifted a little now so he could face Bdubs.

"Well a lot of it was showing him that I didn't fear him or wanted to intimidate him. I knew it would be easier to get him to calm down if he knew I didn't want to kennel him in further. But the trader wasn't entirely wrong about me using magic. It wasn't much, but I did use a tiny bit to soothe him further." Impulse shrugged. "It made things a little easier. But really you don't need magic to do what I did."

"Keralis wasn't wrong when he said that Impulse is just really good with horses," Tango said. "You should have seen the way Ghast was attached to him even before his magic woke."

Impulse ducked his head in embarrassment. "She's a good horse. Really I just cared for her like I would have for any other horse."

Tango shook his head. "Always so humble," he said and pressed a kiss to his temple. "She mourned you as much as I did."

His words were not tinged with the usual sadness they were both prone to when thinking about that time in their lives, just a matter of fact statement, and Impulse found himself smiling a little.

"So-" Bdubs started, but he was interrupted by frantic knocking on the door and a muffled voice calling Keralis' name.

Keralis jumped up and when he opened the door xB and Hypno stumbled inside.

Hypno quickly closed the door, before he leaned against it, panting.

"You all might want to leave right now," xB said, breathing heavily himself. "We came as soon as we heard, but the horse trader has spread rumours that one of you is a witch, and the town is out to get you. You don't have much time left."

For a moment they were all very still, Tango's hand tightening around Impulse's and then they all sprung into action.

"Impulse and I get the horses," Ex said, "We'll meet the rest of you west of the town. Get a bit away from the street. We'll find you."

"Or you meet at ours and move from there," xB said. "We live slightly out of town. It's not far from the horse trader."

"I'll come with you to get the horses," Hypno said. "xB will lead the rest of you to our place."

"Let's do that then," Ex amended, waiting for everyone's nods before he went to grab his things.

They had quickly gathered up everything, and soon enough Impulse threw his pack into the enderchest, only keeping his weapons and his potion satchel on him, before Ex did the same and picked up the enderchest.

"After you," he said to Hypno, who nodded and after a quick peek outside led them down the stairs and through the back and side alleys towards the trader's stables.

"How will you get in there and get the horses out?" he asked curiously when they were close, hiding in the shadows between two houses just down the street.

"Ex will get in and release them. I'll make sure they go where we want them," Impulse said, crouching down to peek around the corner of the building. "Speaking of which. Where do we want them to go?"

"Down the road, out of town. If you can do that have them go for a mile before you turn them off the road and back towards the town. Our house is fairly isolated, it should stand out."

Impulse nodded and looked up at Ex. "Your turn, Ex. Just open their boxes and get out. I'll handle the rest."

"Got you."

Hypno startled a little when Ex teleported away and Impulse only barely managed to hide a smirk.

"We told you we can get in and out undetected," he said and Hypno chuckled.

"What happened to missing resources?"

"I would have given him an invisibility potion usually. But my supplies are limited and I don't want to waste anything."

Hypno considered him for a moment. "You really are what they say, aren't you?"

"A witch?" Impulse raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Though they're likely exaggerating what I did or can do."

"So what can you do?"

There was no judgement behind the words, just curiosity, and Impulse shrugged.

"Feel the life forces around me for the most part," he said. "Interact with them. Working with animals is easier than working with plants. Uh, potion brewing as well."

Hypno nodded. "And people?"

Impulse paused. "Theoretically my magic extends to people as well. But it is frowned upon among witches to actually use it that way. The only one I touch with it is Tango, but he's my soulmate and our magic is connected." He trailed off and held up a hand to stop Hypno from saying anything to that, because he could feel the horses start getting restless.

Sure enough, a moment later Ex appeared next to them again.

"They're all free," he said and Impulse nodded.

The horses only needed a little nudge before they came out of the stables, and as if in a panic ran off into the dark, the half-djinn stallion at the front of the group.

"Let's go," Impulse said. "They'll find us."

Hypno nodded and when he turned back into the dark alley to lead them to his and xB's home, Impulse and Ex followed.

xB was glad for his years in the town guard when he led Keralis and his friends through the dark town. He had patrolled these streets often enough to know them like the back of his hand and he knew the people of the town well enough to anticipate where they would go. There was a close call when he barely managed to keep everyone hidden in an alley while a larger group passed on the main street to reach the town square, but apart from that he got them past the outskirts of town without a hitch and he released a breath when they turned onto the path through the fields that would lead them around and back to his and Hypno's house.

It helped that the Hermits, including Keralis, were disciplined enough not to talk or make too many loud noises.

And then they finally reached the house and he quickly herded them inside. It was an old farmhouse that had belonged to Hypno's family for a long time, and it was far enough away that no one would bother them or think to look for them here.

"What are they going to do?" the shorter of the two women asked quietly.

xB shrugged. "If we're lucky they'll just knock on Keralis's door and disperse when they find no one home. Worst case is they start looking thoroughly or even burn down the bookshop."

Keralis shook his head with a sigh. "It was a nice shoppy," he said.

He sounded almost a little sad, as if he had already accepted that he wasn't going to go home to it, and xB shot him a surprised look.

"They might keep it standing. A fire could jump over to the houses around it, they might remember that before setting fire to it."

"I still don't think I can go back. It's better I leave and rebuild somewhere else."

"Where would you even go?"

"North maybe. There's cities there where people won't know who I am." Keralis shrugged.

"You could always come home with us."

xB was surprised when he realised it had been the guy who seemed so aggressive towards Keralis the evening before. But any of the anger he had shown was gone from his face now, he seemed concerned instead.

He rolled his eyes when Keralis shot him a surprised look.

"Listen Ex said he and Xisuma still consider you one of us. We're a family and family helps each other."

"Beef…" Keralis said and then he shook his head. "I don't know if I should."

The shorter woman spoke up again, but this time there was something different about her, as if she was used to issue commands that were followed without question.

"I fink you should come, Keralis," she said. "And if you don't want to trust us, we can always ask Ex when he arrives."

"Let's ask Ex then."

The door opened at that moment, and Hypno entered, followed by Impulse and Ex.

Ex must have heard the last part of the conversation because he asked, "Ask Ex what?"

"About Keralis coming home wif us. He doesn't seem to fink he should."

Ex frowned. "Why shouldn't you come home?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Ex...I…" Keralis started, but Ex cut him off.

"You and Xisuma both messed up, I won't deny that. But you're family and we help family. And if that means taking you home then so be it." He paused for a moment before he said a little more quietly, "I think you should talk to him. You both deserve to clear things up properly."

Keralis sighed but his smile was gentle when he said, "Okay. Then I'll come with you."

Ex nodded and they were all silent for a moment before the blonde woman looked at xB and Hypno and said, "And what about you two?"

It seemed she was the only one who had done the maths so far, because the others gave her surprised looks and she shrugged.

"A town this size will have noticed if two of its guards were suspiciously absent from their witch hunt. You either need a good cover story or you need to leave as well."

xB exchanged a look with Hypno. They hadn't talked about it, but they both knew they weren't going to stay forever. Hypno had grown up here, but xB hadn't and while working as town guards paid well enough xB had never intended to stay forever. Not until he had gotten to know Hypno.

"You've always been thinking about leaving again," Hypno said now, like it was fact.

"But I never wanted to make you choose between your home and me." And this too was fact.

"I don't think there's much to choose between then." Hypno shrugged and turned towards the Hermits. "You wouldn't mind two more travel companions, would you?"

xB was about to protest. Surely Hypno couldn't mean to leave the only home he had ever known and go off into the wild on an adventure they had no way of knowing the outcome of. But before he could say anything the short woman smiled kindly and said, "Of course not. We'd be happy to have you."

"You might want to pack quickly," Impulse said. "The horses aren't far away now and we should probably leave as soon as we can."

"You go get our horses ready, I'll pack," Hypno said decisively.

xB could only nod. He felt a little overwhelmed with how fast things were moving now but he guessed all he could do was move along.

He was almost out of the door when Keralis said, "I'll help you."

He followed xB out and over to the barn. It had been a proper farm barn once upon a time, but ever since Hypno and xB had become the only occupants of the house it had stood empty safe for the three horses they kept. Only two of them belonged to them technically, they were both sturdy animals, bread for farm work more than for riding but still decent enough. The third was more elegant, a beautiful horse that belonged to Keralis. It was sturdy in a different way, like it belonged in a harsher climate where it had to be able to travel long distances off the roads.

Keralis smiled at it now and ran a hand along its neck.

"We're going home," he said, and the horse whinnied softly.

They weren't quite done with the horses when there was the sound of hooves outside and when xB looked out through the barn doors he could see a group of horses walk into the farm yard.

The door to the main house opened and a moment later Impulse and one of the other men stepped outside, talking lowly before they split up and gathered the horses closer to the barn.

By the time xB and Keralis led the three horses outside the Hermits were quietly and efficiently getting the newly arrived horses ready to continue their journey. It was fascinating to see actually how quick they were about it and xB found himself wondering in what ways they would surprise him after this.

Finally Hypno came out, carrying both of their packs in his hands. He quietly passed one to xB, and as he stood there, the weight of his most important possessions in his hand, the reality of what they were about to do, about what Hypno was about to do sank in.

Keralis stepped closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's wanted to leave as much as you," he said quietly. "So don't feel guilty."

xB nodded but before he could say anything he noticed a red light in the night sky. Fire.

Keralis sighed. "It really was a nice shoppy." He shook his head. "I guess it is time to go home."

Around them the Hermits were mounting their horses, and xB followed suit, motioning his horse to follow as Impulse led them out of the yard and onto the path.

He cast a last glance at the town that had been his home for the past years before he turned his back resolutely. It was time for a new adventure.

They rode all night, Impulse leading the way across the open plains despite the darkness. It was shortly before dawn when he finally led them down into a ditch to set up camp for the day.

If Bdubs understood his magic correctly he had been leading them on feeling alone, letting his awareness of the life forces around them paint a picture of the landscape in his mind, and he couldn't help but be impressed. He couldn't even begin to understand how much focus it must have taken him.

They all got off their horses and set up camp as quietly as possible. They didn't quite know how far away they were from the main road and they didn't want to risk alerting anyone to their presence.

"I don't think we should risk a fire," Impulse said. "I think we're mostly safe from being seen but I don't really want to test the theory."

Something stirred in Bdubs' mind at the words, the spirit of the jungle, and he said, "I can help with that a little."

Impulse nodded. "If neither of you mind. Some more coverage would be nice I think."

"It's really not a problem."

Bdubs crouched down and touched the ground. He could feel the vines creeping along his arms until they touched the ground. It felt different than before he realised. Back in the jungle he hadn't been aware of his surroundings anymore, hadn't known what was happening, but now he could feel his awareness expand to the plant life around him, and he could direct the power that was flowing through him. They made the bushes around the edges of the ditch grow a little thicker and a little wilder, nothing too noticeable he hoped, but enough to provide more shelter for the day. And after a gentle nudge from Bdubs himself a small acacia tree sprung up on one of the sides of the ditch, its branches weaving a natural looking roof over it to shield them from the sun that was slowly starting to rise in the East.

When the vines pulled back and Bdubs got up again he was almost afraid to look into the eyes of his companions. Sure they had seen him in the jungle, and they had been there when he had led them out of it. None of them had acted any differently towards him than before. And still he couldn't help but think that this might be it; that this might be the thing to make them realise that they didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore. Or worse that he would see that realisation in the eyes of his nephew.

But before he could even check an arm was slung around his shoulders and Etho said cheerfully, "Well my friend, I think this is your best work yet. Excellent detail on the branches."

Bdubs couldn't hold back a smile as he leaned into Etho's side, which earned him a reassuring squeeze from him.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to sleep the day away," Beef said on his other side.

"Not if I can beat you to it," Bdubs said. He met Beef's eyes, familiar mischief in them and then they both scrambled to get their sleeping rolls out of their packs, just to turn around with them in their hands at the same time and find Etho sitting on his already, looking smug.

Bdubs exchanged a look with Beef and they both chuckled as they set up beside him.

They had a quick meal before Ex took first watch and the rest of them lay down, doing their best to sleep through most of the day.

Bdubs lay between Etho and Beef again, like he had every night since he had become aware of his surroundings again.

"You really don't have to be afraid," Etho said quietly before they could drift off. "We're not going to hate you. None of us."

"Thank you." Bdubs meant it. He could see the edge of Etho's smile now, and he couldn't help but smile back, before they closed their eyes and fell asleep.

The djinn envoy arrived on a slightly rainy afternoon. Xisuma stood on the main steps of the castle when they rode into the courtyard, Wels somewhere at his back. They had travelled alone, without any guards, and if Xisuma hadn't known from Ramal that it was a common thing to do for djinn dignitaries he would probably have raised an eyebrow at it. They bowed politely before him, and he greeted them with a warm smile.

"Welcome to Snefjella," he said. "I hope your travels were smooth."

"It became a lot smoother once I had left Pesara behind," they said. "I'm Hasan, advisor to Queen Malika. My queen sends her best wishes to you Regent Xisuma."

"I thank her. But come inside, I am sure you would like to rest."

"Rest would be appreciated. Though I bring news that I think you might want to hear first."

Xisuma nodded and when he turned they fell into step beside him, following him up to the rooms he used as an office.

They made small talk on the way, irrelevant chatter about the weather and the state of the roads, both of them with polite smiles on their faces. But when the door to Xisuma's office closed behind them Hasan turned serious. They took the seat Xisuma offered them and when he had sat down across from them they relaxed a little into something a little less formal than before.

"Pesara is preparing for war," they said. "I didn't dare to spend too much time there to find out more, but the king is accusing the Hermits of kidnapping his son, and Snefjella and the djinn of helping them."

Xisuma had to sigh. "That was to be expected. We did think that was the goal of all of this."

Hasan eyed him curiously. "Did the Hermits kidnap the Pesaran crown prince?"

"No. As far as I have been told he was offered a choice by Prince Tango and he decided to go with them."

"I apologise. I didn't mean to imply anything." Hasan inclined their head and Xisuma chuckled.

"I did not take it that way. Are there any more news you can bring from the road?"

"Finis is still trying to decide what to do as far as I can tell. And my own queen has already given orders to pull troops together along the northern borders. She asked me to assure you that she will stand with Snefjella."

"And Snefjella will stand with her. Though we still hope we can avoid a war."

"So does the queen."

Hasan hesitated for a moment before they asked, "Have you had any more news?"

Xisuma shook his head. "None. We know they chose to go through the Nether, but we don't know where or what they encountered there."

Hasan sighed. "The prince knows the Nether and so does Ramal. I am sure they will guide the others through as safe as they can."

"I'm sure they will." Xisuma smiled. "But you must be tired. I don't want to keep you from resting."

"And I thank you for that."

They both got up, and Xisuma showed him to the door where he asked one of the guards stationed there to show Hasan to their rooms. He watched them disappear around a corner before he closed the door and turned back to his desk. It seemed he would have a long night.

Rhee hadn't expected any guests or messengers so she was surprised when Wydan called her out into the courtyard because someone was approaching the horse stud. She could see them ride along the road, slightly faster than any normal rider.

It wasn't until they came closer that she recognised them as a djinn merchant, which explained their speed. Still, she raised an eyebrow. Merchants usually took the main ring road and even if they decided to take the shorter route through the forest they didn't come out to the stud. Not unless they had business here.

She couldn't help but be intrigued.

By the time the merchant rode into the courtyard Pona had joined them outside, clearly just as curious to find out what was going on as the rest of them.

The merchant got off their horse and bowed.

"Chieftain Rhee?" they asked.

"Just the one," Rhee replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Prince Tango sends me. He asked me to bring you a message."

Rhee's eyebrow wandered higher, even as she exchanged a look with Pona and Wydan. The last they had heard of Tango was that he and the others had had to flee from the ball they had attended in Pesara and that no one quite knew which way they were taking home.

"Come inside. Your message is better shared with food and something to drink," she said, before she turned and gestured for them to follow her.

Inside Wydan quickly fetched a bowl of stew and some bread while Rhee filled a cup with water and passed it over to the merchant.

"I can't say I expected news from the prince quite yet," she said, hoping she didn’t sound too suspicious of them.

The merchant inclined their head. “I met him at Casa, out east. I don’t know how he and his companions got there, but they were clearly just passing through.”

“Casa is far away,” Rhee said thoughtfully. “It will take them at least two months to get home from there. And that is assuming they don’t run into trouble on the way. Which is probably too much to ask.” She sighed and shook her head. “But you said you have a message from Tango for me. What is it?”

“The prince wants me to tell you that he is asking you to do what you offered the last time he was here.”

Rhee nodded. “I already thought as much. I will see what I can do.” But then she shot them a smile. “But I have kept you from eating. Enjoy your stew. If you want to rest here for the night just tell Wydan. I think I have things to attend to now.”

She got up quickly and nodded towards Pona to follow her back outside.

She quickly crossed the courtyard into the stables and by the time Pona joined her, she was already considering the horses, trying to figure out which one was best suited for what she needed right now.

“What is it?” Pona asked quietly as she came to stand beside her.

“I need you to ride north. If you find Mumbo and Iskall on the road tell them the news. But I doubt that you can still reach them. They have been gone too long I think.”

“I’ll ride like the wind,” Pona said with a nod.

“I know. Now go pack while I get your horse ready. It’s best if you put as many miles behind you as you can today.”

“Already on my way.” Pona smiled and leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, and Rhee had to smile.

Pona rode away on the road only a mere quarter of an hour later, spurring Stormwind below her on to go as fast as she could. Rhee watched her go with the same twinge of sadness she always felt when Pona or Wydan had to leave on important business.

“I have a feeling that she won’t be the last of you two I will have to watch leave before this is over,” Wydan said quietly beside her.

“I wish I could assure you, but I think you’re right.” Rhee sighed and pulled him close, one arm wrapped around his shoulders protectively as she kissed the top of his head.

“I’ll just have to trust that you both will return alive and in one piece.” She could hear Wydan’s smile more than she could see it, but it was enough to make her smile as well.

“You know we always try.”

“I know. You always have.”

They lapsed into silence as Pona disappeared behind a bend in the road and Rhee hoped that by the time she returned they would know where all of this was leading them.


	14. Chapter 14

They kept travelling at night and away from the road for a few days more, before they decided it was safe to cut south. Impulse still led them, even though they could all see that it was starting to take its toll on him.

Tango knew that the strain was two-fold. He could feel how much it drained his magic to keep enough hold of all the life around them to know where they had to go, and on top of that the focus he needed to make it make sense cost energy. He worried a little about the way Impulse seemed a little more tired with every night they travelled.

When they finally reached the road and turned west again, he breathed a sigh of relief. They camped out in the open not far from where they had hit the road, all of them agreeing that they needed to have a short night of rest at least so they could travel by daylight again.

Tango made sure Impulse ate enough before he pulled him down with him, and wrapped his arms tightly around him.

Impulse leaned into him with a sigh, his eyes already falling closed and Tango pressed a kiss to the top of his hair.

"You can rest now," he whispered. "You've done so well."

Impulse didn't reply, but his arms tightened around Tango before his breaths evened out, and Tango followed him soon after.

He still looked tired the next morning, but Tango knew that the shorter travel the last night had helped him already, and he quietly let him lean into his side as they all had breakfast.

"We should reach a town before the evening," Ex said. "So we should be able to sleep at the inn there tonight. The question is if they sent out anyone after us and if news about us have travelled this far."

"We should be far enough away from Casa," Hypno said. "People there don't travel too far. And I doubt anyone would come this far over a witch and some horses that were paid for already. They're likely just glad they got rid of us."

Ex considered him for a moment. "I guess that could be true. We can decide what to do once we get close to the town. I'd just like to be cautious."

Hypno nodded. "Better safe than sorry."

"So how are we getting to Snefjella?" xB asked. "Like what's the route like?"

"We follow the road west," Ex said. "We'll reach Alfria eventually, which is Snefjella's Eastern neighbour. We cross the border south of Vatten and from there it's only a few days to the Hermitage." He shot a look towards Stress. "I assume you want to go there first before you go back to court."

Stress nodded. "I'd like to know what's waitin' for us."

"I guess we could send a messenger from Vatten as well to tell Xisuma," Ex said thoughtfully. "But I think we can decide that when we are there."

"We will have to be careful on the way through Alfria," Impulse added quietly, and Tango's arm tightened around him protectively. "Alfrians are not particularly fond of magic. And we'll have to pass the Wessian Forest. Its spirit left the last time I was there, but who knows what has happened since, and it has always been a little territorial. It might not like that Bdubs carries another forest's spirit with him."

"We'll deal with that when we get there," Ex said. "Will you be able to guide us through?"

"I will," Impulse said.

xB looked between them. "If there's a road, why will we need a guide?"

Impulse smiled. "Because the road through the forest is treacherous. Most people use the one that goes around it, but going through it is faster even with the dangers it can entail." He shrugged. "But as I said, the spirit of the forest left years ago, so who knows how things are now."

"What about Gertrude's forest?" Bdubs asked. "If you say the spirit of the Wessian Forest might react badly to me, won't the one in Gertrude's forest do the same?"

"No." Impulse shook his head. "It is far more peaceful, and Gertrude won't let any harm come to us. Or to any of you at least, I might get a whack or two over the head if she feels like it."

There were chuckles around the group at his words, before Ex said, "We better get going. We still have a long journey."

They all nodded and got up to pack their things and they were on the road soon after.

They stopped a few miles away from the town, while Ex went ahead to test the waters. He didn’t take long and he quickly returned with news that no one had followed them this far, and that it looked like there was still more than enough room at the inn for all of them.

Bdubs breathed a sigh of relief when they continued their journey. He hadn’t wanted to show it too much, but he was still getting used to working with the spirit of the jungle, and as willing as he was to help conceal their camps from others in the day, it was a little tiring to do it every day. He was sure that it would get easier eventually, but right now it was still new and he was glad that he didn’t have to use the magic. No, tonight they would all be able to have a nice, warm meal at the inn, before they could fall asleep in an actual bed.

Beef and Tango went in to get them rooms, while the rest of them waited outside. They all looked tired, Bdubs realised, not all of them as tired as Impulse, who leaned into his horse as if he was ready to fall asleep on his feet, but Bdubs could see that they all were still feeling the shift from being awake all night back to being awake in the day.

They all were quick about getting their horses ready for the night once Beef and Tango came back with their rooms secured, and once they had agreed on rooming arrangements and deposited their things in their rooms they quickly reconvened downstairs and took up a large table in one of the corners to have dinner.

None of them talked much, their exhaustion was quickly catching up on them, and after finishing their food they didn't stay downstairs for long before they went back to their rooms. Bdubs thought that maybe he should clean up properly, but he didn't feel like doing much more than quickly washing off the dust of the road, before he sat down heavily on his bed with a sigh.

He was sharing with Dick, who didn't do much more before he sat down as well. Bdubs considered him for a moment before he said, "We haven't had much time to talk, haven't we?"

Dick looked surprised but he shrugged. "It's okay. I'm sure you had a lot on your mind."

"I sure did," Bdubs said. "Still, you must have questions. I'm sure the others answered some already, but you've had a lot to process in the last few weeks."

Dick was silent for a moment before he said, "I don't know it's… I think travelling with them finally made me understand why you left and why you never looked back. And...it made me think more about what kind of king I want to be when my time comes."

Bdubs smiled. "You were always kind. I have never had a doubt that you would become a good leader."

Dick ducked his head. "Thank you. I can only hope to be a good king."

"You will be. You never suffered from your father's tendency not to consider views other than his own. And you have compassion for those around you."

"Do I really though?" Dick asked quietly. "Because when they told me it was possible that my parents were involved in the plot to frame them for murder, all I could think of was how likely it was and that if they really were part of it they did not deserve mercy."

"That doesn't make you a bad person," Bdubs said gently. "It just means that you have a strong moral compass. And as king you will have to make hard decisions sometimes. I never hated my brother, but if he and Julia truly are responsible the question is not whether I am related to them, but what their actions caused. And maybe for me it is easier to see that they need to be brought to justice, because their actions threatened the family I found, but it is okay to struggle with that decision. I only have the Hermits to think of, but you have a country to think of as well, and if it's better for Pesara to bring her king to justice then that is a decision you will have to make as her crown prince, even if it will be hard."

"I know." Dick sighed, before he looked up at Bdubs and asked, "I do have one question though. You, Etho and Beef seem...close."

"You're wondering what we are to each other." Bdubs had to chuckle. "Well, I would not call our bond romantic, but the three of us and Doc have long considered our bond to be closer than friendship or even family. We would go to the ends of the earth for each other. Or just offer each other what love and comfort we can."

Dick blinked. "Oh," he said. "I...okay."

Bdubs laughed. “It can be a lot to wrap your head around from the outside. But we’re happy with what we have.”

Dick nodded, and Bdubs smiled at him before he yawned.

"We should catch some sleep. The night will be shorter than we expect. And we'll want to make good time so we can sort out this whole mess."

"Yes," Dick agreed, and after yawning himself, they both quickly lay down and Bdubs blew out the last candle.

Tango had insisted they both get properly cleaned up, and even though Impulse was tired he had indulged him. He had dozed in Tango's arms as they had lain in the bathtub, but he was glad Tango had insisted, because the warm water had been relaxing and worked wonders for his tired body. Tango had held him and gently washed his hair and cleaned the dirt off his skin, and Impulse had only been able to relax against him with a sigh.

He knew that moments like this would be rare until they reached home, and he didn't really want to think about the miles that lay between them and the Hermitage and everything that they would encounter on their way there. And so he enjoyed the moment as much as he could in his exhausted state. Focusing his magic to lead the others through the nights had taken more out of him than he was willing to admit. But it had been necessary and he was grateful to get a break now.

Tango carried most of his weight on the way back to their room, and Impulse was barely awake by the time Tango helped him lie down on the bed. He made a noise of protest when Tango didn't join him immediately, but Tango only smiled at him and gently squeezed his shoulder before he stepped away to take off Impulse's boots and helped him out of his clothes, and got undressed himself. He pulled Impulse against his chest once he was lying down with him, and Impulse managed to hum as he settled in there, Tango warm against his back. He could feel Tango's smile when he pressed a kiss to the back of his neck, but then he already succumbed to the warmth and the familiar feeling of Tango's arms around him and before he knew it sleep had already taken him.

Hypno had been glad for the opportunity to clean himself up. He was still getting used to travelling all day, and getting to relax in the bath for a bit was a welcome break from being in the saddle for so long.

There hadn't been much opportunity to really get to know the Hermits so far, but he was almost a little giddy with the realisation that he was travelling in the company of the people he had heard so many stories about. He enjoyed it a lot if he was honest. It was clear how close they all were, and even if he had gathered that they didn't all know each other to the same degree, it was clear that that didn't change that they were all part of the same family.

It could have been easy to feel left out with them. After all, even Keralis was more familiar with everyone than they were, even though he had left years ago. But while they had not had the time to get to know everyone, once they had gotten introductions out of the way the evening after they had left Casa, the others had included them without second thought. And it was still a bit hard to wrap his head around the fact that he was travelling with royalty now, but the others made it easy to forget.

The only one who worried him a little was xB. He had been uncharacteristically quiet since they had left Casa, and Hypno had no idea what to do with that. He had a feeling that xB was worrying about ripping Hypno from his home, which was ridiculous really.

Hypno had grown up in Casa, the only son of a family that had lived as farmers at the edge of the city for generations. It had been the only home he had known his entire life. And he had thought he had made it clear that that had changed when he had gotten to know xB, but it seemed like he had not made it clear enough.

He shook his head as he reached the door of the room they shared with Keralis for the night, and quickly stepped inside. Keralis was nowhere to be seen, but xB was sitting on one of the beds, looking like he was deep in thought. He didn't even look up at the sound of Hypno's steps on the wooden floor, and Hypno sighed before he walked over and sat down next to him.

He knocked their shoulders together and asked, "What's going on?"

xB startled out of his thoughts and finally looked up at him.

"Hypno," he said weakly, but he didn't offer anything else.

"You've been quiet. What's on your mind?"

“It’s…” xB looked away and heaved a sigh. “I… I’m wondering if I made the right choice pulling you into this.”

Hypno had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at him. “You didn’t pull me into anything. If you’re looking for someone to blame, blame me. I was the one who told you to come and check on Keralis. Or the people of Casa for attempting to go after someone who had done nothing wrong. But there’s no one to blame.”

“Still, if I hadn’t told you that they were going after them and had just gone to warn them on my own…”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“But… you wouldn’t have had to leave your-”

“That was my decision. And Casa is not my home. It’s the place I lived in, but it’s not my home. Not anymore. My home is with you.”

“Hypno-”

“No. I told you before. It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as we’re together. And I think all things considered we got pretty lucky. Between these guys and the people back in Casa, I know who I would rather call my friends.”

xB sighed. “Okay, I guess. If you insist it’s fine…”

“I do.”

“Okay.” He was silent for a moment before he said, “You do know I love you, right?”

Hypno smiled. “Yeah, I know. I love you, too.”

"Let's go to bed. I'm sure Keralis will be back before long."

"Yeah let's." Hypno nodded and with a squeeze to xB's shoulder he got up to get ready.

He crawled into bed with him only a few minutes later and once xB had doused the flame of the candle they both settled in. And as he listened to the familiar sound of xB's breath evening out Hypno knew they had done the right thing.

Xisuma wasn't fond of making a big show, but even he knew the power of putting on a display. Which was the reason why he was receiving the messenger from Pesara in the throne room instead of waiting for him in the courtyard. The room was empty for the most part, except for Xisuma himself, sitting on a fancy chair below the throne, Elias, and a number of guards positioned along the edges of the room.

Wels led the messenger into the throne room, and came to stand at Xisuma's left, his back straight and every inch the soldier he had been before joining the Hermits.

Xisuma could see the messenger swallow, and he did seem nervous for a moment before he pulled himself together and bowed before Xisuma.

"I hear you have been sent by King Dick of Pesara with a message for me," Xisuma said.

"Yes." The messenger pulled a scroll from his belt, and handed it over to Elias who passed it on to Xisuma. "His majesty is sending me with demands to return his son home, and to hand over those responsible for his abduction."

Xisuma raised an eyebrow. "The king seems very sure that his son is with us."

"The king knows that his son was last seen in the company of Queen Stress and people associated with your group.”

“And by my group I assume you mean the Hermits.” Xisuma leaned back in his chair a little. “As you can see I am still regent in her majesty’s absence. So I think we both know that the crown prince is not here. And if he were it would be by his own choice.” He leaned forward again, far enough to rest his elbows on his knees and level the messenger with a cold, hard look. “Because my people do not deal in taking choices from others. Nor would we ever disrespect one of our own by doing that to his only nephew.”

“The king-” the messenger started, but Xisuma cut him off.

“The king has never made a secret of his dislike for my family, nor of his dislike for the fact that Queen Stress offered us a home to call our own. And right now he should focus on the question why he could not guarantee the safety of his guests. A question I am sure Queen Malika would very much like to have answered as well, seeing how the safety of her only son was compromised.”

Xisuma got up and turned away towards the door that would allow him to use the back passages to get to Stress’s office.

“Wels, please make sure he gets food and a place to rest,” he said, and Wels nodded once, stepping away from Xisuma’s chair towards the messenger, while Elias followed Xisuma out through the side door.

Xisuma sighed and relaxed his posture a little when the door had fallen closed behind them.

“I guess we better go up and read this so we can send our reply back along with the messenger,” he said, holding up the scroll he still held in his hand.

Elias nodded, before he reached out to squeeze Xisuma’s shoulder. “You put on a good show for him,” he said with a gentle smile.

“Thanks,” Xisuma said with a smile of his own. “It’s been a while since I had to do that.”

They reached the stairs that would lead them towards the offices on the higher floors, and after climbing them turned to follow the passage that ended by Elias’ office.

“At least we know that they’re still trying to avoid accusing Snefjella directly,” Xisuma said when they reached the door and he followed Elias through. “Even though we all know that the demand to hand over the prince is little more but an excuse.”

“I wonder if they sent a similar message to the Djinnlands,” Elias said. “After all they know about Prince Tango’s connection to the Hermits.”

“If they did the messenger hadn’t arrived by the time Hasan left. They mentioned that they only heard that Pesara blames the abduction of the prince on the Hermits when they crossed Pesara.”

“All in all King Dick seems to know even less about what exactly happened after the attack than we do,” Elias said thoughtfully.

“Yes. But the only advantage it brings us is that we know we can play for time and have the prince confirm that he left out of his own free will.”

“And that is exactly what we will do. I think demanding answers for why the safety of our queen was clearly compromised is a good start.”

Xisuma smiled and sat down with Elias, breaking the seal on the letter from King Dick and unrolling it.

“Let’s see what we can work out then.”

Pona didn’t catch up to Mumbo and Iskall until they were well into Snefjella. She had come this way only once before when Rhee had negotiated her first horse sales with the Hermits, but she knew that the inn she was approaching right now as evening fell around her was the last stop before reaching the Hermitage itself.

She declined the offer by the sons of the inn owner to take care of Stormwind for her in favour of doing it herself, but once she was done with that she entered the inn itself.

She was surprised to see Mumbo and Iskall sit in a corner of the main room. They had left a day or so before she had and she had been sure that she wouldn’t catch up to them before they reached the Hermitage.

Iskall was the first of them to spot her, which made sense, considering what she had heard about his past before joining the Hermits, and he gave her a wide smile.

“Hallo Pona!” he said. “What are you doing here?”

Pona sat down with them and smiled. “Rhee sent me with a message for you guys. We had a messenger arrive a day after you left.”

Iskall and Mumbo exchanged a look, but Iskall only nodded.

“Let’s wait until we’re home tomorrow so everyone can hear it,” he suggested, and Pona nodded.

“I think that might be easiest.”

She gladly accepted the food the inn keeper brought over for all of them, and with a smile she tucked in, easily joining in the conversation between Iskall and Mumbo as they all ate.

They were back on the road early the next morning, and Pona was glad for the company. It had only been about two weeks of travel, but travelling with people to talk to was always more fun than being on her own. Stormwind wasn’t quite used to the mountainous terrain of Snefjella, so Pona was a bit more cautious with her than she had been on the road so far, but she adjusted well. Pona was glad about it, Rhee had worried a little about how she would adapt to the more difficult terrain, and she would be happy to hear that she had picked the right horse to carry Pona safely all the way to the Hermitage.

They reached the castle in the afternoon, and once they had all taken care of their horses, Iskall and Mumbo led her up the path and into the Hermitage proper.

"Cub's usually working on some project this time of day," Mumbo explained as they turned onto the path along the side of the valley.

Pona nodded. She could see the entrance to a mineshaft ahead, with elaborate designs carved into the stone around it, but Mumbo and Iskall led her to a mansion a bit further along the path. It almost towered a little over them, hugging the mountain behind it, and when Scar opened the door at their knock Pona caught a glimpse of a long hallway behind him, too long to fit inside the mansion itself.

Scar greeted them all with a warm smile, even though it was obvious that he was surprised to see her.

“It’s good to see you,” he said. “If you’ll follow me I’ll bring you up to Cub’s office. He and Doc need to take a break from their planning anyways.”

He led them up the stairs to another door and waltzed right in. Inside was a large office, its windows looking out over the valley below. Cub and Doc were standing at a table, bent over something, but they both looked up when Pona and the others entered.

“Pona,” Cub said, surprised. “I didn’t expect you.”

Pona smiled. “Rhee sent me after Mumbo and Iskall because we received news the day after they left, and I didn’t catch up to them until yesterday.”

Cub raised an eyebrow and gestured for them to sit down, while he remained standing, Scar next to him.

“So what news do you have for us?”

“The day after Mumbo and Iskall left a djinn merchant came to our house. He came from Casa out east, and he had a message for Rhee from Tango. Rhee sent me after Mumbo and Iskall the same day to tell you about it.”

Cub’s eyebrows rose higher.

“Casa you say?” He shuffled the papers on the table around and pulled a map from the bottom. “That means they’ll have to cross Alfria and make it through the Wessian Forest. So they should be home in about…” He trailed off, clearly calculating how long the journey would take, but before he could say more Doc spoke up.

“Eight weeks,” he said. “If they can acquire horses.”

There was something about the look in his eyes that gave Pona pause, and it took her a moment before she realised why the name Casa had felt so important.

“That’s close to where the others were lost, right?” she asked quietly.

Doc nodded. “It is,” he said. “I just…wonder if they found any trace of them.”

“If they did I’m sure they will tell us when they return,” Scar said gently.

Doc nodded. “I know.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “We better tell Xisuma. He’ll need to know how long he has to stall for. Do you know when the merchant met Tango in Casa?”

“It must have been about three weeks ago now,” Pona said.

“So it’s five weeks until they get back. That should give us plenty of time.”

Cub looked thoughtful for a moment but then he shook his head.

“I’ll go talk to Xisuma tomorrow. Could one of you get a bedroom ready for Pona?”

“On it, Cub,” Iskall said cheerfully as he got up. He slung an arm around Pona’s shoulder when she got up and she laughed as she let him guide her out of the room, Mumbo following behind them with a soft smile on his face. Before the door closed she caught a last glimpse of Scar bending closer to Cub to say something to him, even as he and Doc bent over the map that was still lying on the table.


	15. Chapter 15

“So five weeks,” Xisuma said. “We can give them that much time.”

“The messenger was sent back to Pesara a few days ago, right?” Cub asked. “So he will likely get there around the time the others return home.”

Elias nodded. “We have bought them more than enough time to return. But we should not relax too much.”

“Did Pona have anything to say about what Finis would do should there be a conflict?” Xisuma asked.

“Not much.” Cub shrugged. “They haven’t received an official missive from Pesara yet, so they’re still waiting to see if there will be war or not. But she also said that Rhee would support siding with Snefjella and do her best to convince the other chieftains. But they might want to try and stay neutral.”

“I doubt they will be able to do that,” Wels said, shifting his weight a little where he was leaning against a bookshelf, arms crossed. “They’re stuck right in the middle between the two countries. If any of them think they can keep war away from their lands they’re delusional. However it would go, the battles wouldn’t be contained by any borders.”

“From a strategic standpoint I agree,” Elias said. “But politically they might not have another choice. The Assembly is known for its heated discussions, and some of the southern chieftains have closer relations with Pesara than they do with Snefjella. The Assembly could very well decide to remain neutral to avoid a split within Finis itself.”

“It won’t help to speculate,” Xisuma said. “What happens in Finis is out of our hands for now, and we can only hope they make the right decision when the time comes, whatever it may be. And I agree with Elias that we shouldn’t relax too much just because we have time. I want you and Doc to keep working out what we can do to help, Cub.”

“We definitely will. We’ve already been discussing some ideas.”

“Good.” Xisuma nodded before he looked down at the map that was spread out across his desk for a moment. “Elias, can we make sure the border post south of Vatten knows to expect a group of Hermits?”

Elias nodded. “Why that one specifically?”

“Call it a hunch, but it is the shortest route from Casa.” Xisuma smiled. “And Wels, I’d like you to increase guard rotations slightly. Not so much we’re giving people the impression we’re waiting for something to happen, but I do think we should increase security a little.”

“Of course,” Wels said.

“Good, then I suggest we all get back to work.” The others nodded, and Cub got up from his chair.

“I’ll see you soon, Xisuma,” he said. “Don’t forget to take breaks.”

Xisuma waived him off with a chuckle. “I won’t. And if I do Wels is here to pester me.”

“Someone has to,” Wels said, with a chuckle of his own. “We all know how you can get.”

Xisuma laughed and made a shooing motion at them. “Off with ya, or I won’t have time to take a break.”

Cub and Wels laughed and left the room together, followed by Elias who had watched the exchange with an amused smile.

When the door had closed behind them Xisuma looked down at the map again, tracing his finger along the road leading from Casa towards Alfria and then Snefjella behind it. He could only hope that they would encounter no complications on the way.

The journey to Alfria and then through it was largely uneventful. They had been ambushed by robbers shortly before reaching the border, but it had been a short skirmish when their attackers realised that they were maybe not outnumbered but definitely out of their league. It had probably been the most interesting thing to happen to them on their journey so far.

Crossing the border into Alfria hadn’t been an issue either. The guards had asked them a few questions, but most of them were quite obviously wearing Snefjellan clothing, and they accepted their vague story of being on their way home.

Impulse had taken over the lead again when they had reached Alfria. As long as they stayed on the main road the way was fairly straight forward, but he was the one who knew this country best, and even if he hadn’t seen this side of it in years, he had felt that he should be the one to lead the others through it.

He couldn’t help but feel a little on edge. What had happened in Casa had been too stark a reminder of the prejudice people held against witches, and if there was one country that reminded him even more of that, it was Alfria. Even though he knew that it was unlikely he couldn’t help but think that someone would recognise him and know what he was. He knew he wouldn’t be on his own should it come to that, but it still frightened him a little. Luckily they all were glad when they could split and go to their rooms in the evenings after dinner, so it probably wasn’t too obvious that Impulse, and Tango with him, did their best to avoid spending time outside their room at the various inns they stopped at on their way. Impulse was thankful for the way Tango wrapped his arms around him protectively when they lay down to sleep, and it gave him the safety he needed to relax at night, his nose pressed against Tango’s throat as he melted into the warmth of his embrace.

They could see the Wessian Forest long before they actually reached its edge. It stood dark, and seemingly endless. It wasn’t as obvious while they were far enough away, but Impulse knew that the trees would stand close together, making the atmosphere below the canopy of the forest stuffy and weighing on any traveller who wanted to pass through.

He had heard more than enough stories about travellers who had left the road for some reason and had vanished never to reappear again. People said there was something odd about the forest, as if it was alive, and like it did not want anyone to pass through it. The road they would take was old, older than most of the settlements close to the edge of the forest, and his mother had told him long ago, when he had still been a child, that it was protected by powerful magic to keep the spirit of the forest from destroying it or bending its direction to its will to mislead travellers. Not that it had had much of an interest in doing that at the time. Impulse’s mother had known how distract it from its more nefarious ideas, and Impulse knew that it had watched over both of them as much as it could.

They reached the forest in the afternoon, four weeks after leaving Casa, but before they could enter it, Impulse turned onto a smaller side road that led south.

“I want to spend as few nights inside the forest as possible,” he explained at the questioning looks the others shot him. “There is no inn close enough to spend the night there before entering the forest in the morning, but I know a place where we can set up camp.”

He didn’t explain further, even when he turned off the smaller road onto what was barely more than an overgrown path these days.

They reached the remains of the village in the late afternoon, with several hours to spare before nightfall. There was something eerie about it, even in broad daylight. The houses looked worse than the last time Impulse had seen them, a few more of the buildings had collapsed, and it looked like it would only be a few more years until the bushes and small trees had taken over completely.

He led them along what used to be the main road until they reached the remains of the small square at the centre of the village. On one of its sides stood what was left of the old inn. People had rarely rented the rooms to sleep there, but young as he had been Impulse remembered the main room downstairs as the main meeting place for the villagers. The roof of the house itself had long collapsed, but the walls around the small outside area were still standing, a tall lime tree at the centre. It was the wrong time of year but Impulse remembered what it looked and smelled like in spring when it was in full bloom. It would shelter them tonight, and when he got off his horse and stepped close to it to lay a hand on its trunk, he could feel it shiver ever so slightly under his touch, clearly recognising his magic.

They quickly set up camp in the small yard, before they ventured out to find old wood to make a camp fire. It did not take long to pull enough wood from the old buildings, and when Impulse and Tango returned to the others, they were already working on lighting the fire.

“So what happened to this place?” Dick asked curiously. “It seems like it was abandoned, but there doesn’t seem to be an obvious reason for it.”

Impulse stared into the fire for a moment before he said, “The pain of a dying mother and the curse of a sister who was too late to save her family. That is what happened to this place.”

He took a deep breath and abruptly got up. “I’ll be back soon. There is something I must do.”

He didn’t look at the others before he turned around and walked away, out through the gate in the wall and across the village, north towards the forest.

The silence around the fire after Impulse’s departure was heavy, and Tango could see in the expressions of those who knew about Impulse’s past that they had connected the dots, much like he already had when Impulse had led them into the abandoned village.

Dick looked a little guilty, and Tango looked at him steadily before he said, “You couldn’t have known.”

Dick nodded silently, and Tango got up with a nod of his own.

“I’ll go see how he’s doing,” he said. “But knowing him he wouldn’t have brought us here if he didn’t think it’s safe.”

He didn’t wait to see how the others reacted to his words before he followed Impulse. He walked slowly, letting their soulbond guide him to the Northern edge of the village and across the open land that divided it from the forest. He hesitated a moment before he stepped underneath the trees, but if Impulse had felt safe enough to walk inside he had no choice but to follow. Hopefully their connection would be enough to keep him safe.

If there ever had been a path through the trees it was long gone and taken back by the forest. Only someone as familiar with this place as Impulse would have been able to find their way through the trees without getting lost, and Tango was more than thankful for the soulbond leading him.

He found Impulse in a clearing not too far away from the edge of the forest. He was standing in front of the ruins of a small house, the signs of the fire that had destroyed it still obvious. Impulse made no indication that he realised that Tango was there, but Tango knew him well enough to know that he was aware of his presence.

“I didn’t realise that Gertrude is your aunt,” he said after a moment, stepping up to stand next to Impulse.

“Neither did I until she told me before we left for Pesara. I don’t know why she only did it now, but it seemed important to her that I finally know.” He shuffled a little closer to Tango until he could lean into his side, and Tango wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“This is where you grew up, right?” he asked quietly, and Impulse nodded.

“I…I wanted to bring you here under better circumstances, but I guess it can’t be helped now,” he said. “And I wish you could have met her, and could have seen what it looked like when she was still alive.”

“I think I can imagine it,” Tango said. “It must have been beautiful. This is such a peaceful place.”

“It was.” Impulse relaxed a little more into him. “In a way it still is. I just can’t forget the memories.”

“And no one asks you to.” Tango turned his head to kiss his temple, but before either of them could say more their eyes got drawn towards a movement in the grass.

They had to wait a minute, but then a small red head peaked out and watched them for a moment before the fox dared to come closer. They sniffed at their boots, before they wove around Tango’s legs once and looked up at him expectantly. He chuckled and released Impulse so he could bend down slowly and scratch them behind the ears, which they seemed happy to accept, before they darted away again, towards the house. Impulse laughed, and when Tango wrapped his arm back around him he leaned into his side and they both watched as the fox curiously walked around the ruins, darting in and out and even climbing one of the walls that still stood, and looked remarkably sturdy for how long it must have stood there after the fire had destroyed the rest of the house.

Finally Impulse released a sigh, and stepped away from Tango

“I didn’t just come here to reminisce,” he said. “This is where I last saw the spirit of the forest, and while it wanted to leave to find the wolf pack again, I thought it might be a good place to try and figure out if it ever came back.”

Tango nodded, and Impulse took a deep breath and closed his eyes so he could focus better. Tango was so focused on him that he didn’t realise that the fox had come down from the wall and was stalking closer to them until they had almost reached them. He frowned down at them a little, trying to figure out what had them act like this, but then his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the green glow of their eyes, not unlike what Bdubs had looked like when the spirit of the jungle had controlled him.

Tango reached out and touched Impulse’s elbow to get his attention. Impulse opened his eyes and turned towards him with a frown, but Tango only silently pointed towards the fox sitting in the grass, watching them.

Impulse blinked, but then he saw what Tango had seen and he let out a quiet “Oh.”

He squatted down and held out a hand. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

The fox came close enough that Impulse could pet them, before the glow of their eyes dimmed and they returned to Tango’s side.

Impulse laughed. “I think they like you,” he said. “And I’m fairly sure they plan on staying with you.”

Tango blinked and looked down at the fox by his feet. He bent down again to pet them.

"You sure about that buddy?" he asked with a chuckle. "You really want to stick around someone with fire magic?"

He got the feeling that the fox was laughing at him, and they didn't move away so he shrugged. "I guess I'll have no choice then." He looked up at Impulse. "Do they have a name?"

Impulse looked at the fox for a moment, before he snickered.

"They want to be called Cinnabin."

"Alright then, Cinnabin. It's nice to meet you."

They leaned a little more into his touch before he got up and held out a hand towards Impulse.

"Want to show me around? We still have time before the sun sets."

Impulse took his hand with a smile. "There is not much left. But I can show you."

He led Tango into the ruins of the house. He had been right, there really wasn't a lot left that told of the life Impulse and his mother had had here. The stone walls were still standing, and Tango had to wonder how they were holding up. Stone didn't burn, but it got brittle if exposed to fire too long and with how much time had passed since the house had burned down and the added strain from being exposed to the weather, he was fairly sure that they should have been crumbling the same way the buildings in the village were.

He shot Cinnabin a look. They had split off from them to explore the corners, but there was something about the way they moved around the house that made him suspect that they were familiar with it. Maybe the reason why the house was still standing was that the forest itself was protecting it.

They made their way out into the small garden eventually, and even though it was overgrown, Tango felt like he could still spot the signs of what it must have looked like when it was still cared for. It took him a moment but then he realised that it was familiar. The little garden Impulse had planted outside his potion brewing room used the same layout. He had to smile softly at the realisation, just as Impulse said "oh" and knelt down. He gently broke off part of a plant, and got up again.

"I should have taken this with me the last time I was here," he said. "It's a special mint plant my mother bred. It's a lot more potent than normal mint, and it tastes great."

Tango nodded, and after Impulse had taken another look around the garden, a fond smile on his face, he grasped his hand and pulled him in to kiss him.

"She would be so proud of you," he said after.

"I hope so," Impulse said, squeezing his hand.

"I never met her, but after everything you have told me, I'm sure she would be. And I know Gertrude is proud of you, even if she doesn't always show it."

Impulse smiled, happy and fond, and when Tango gently pulled him away from the house he came easily.

"Let's go back to the others before they get concerned."

Impulse only nodded.

They were all silent for a moment once Tango had left, before Beef said, "Well that wasn't cryptic at all."

Ex exchanged a look with Ramal, but before either of them could say anything Stress spoke up.

"This is where Impulse grew up. The people of this village killed his mother for being a witch," she said quietly. "His aunt came to find him as soon as she heard, but she was too late, he was already gone."

"Ah," Etho said. "So this is where…?"

Stress nodded. "This is where she lost her voice."

She looked around at the surprised faces of the others and sighed.

"When my mother was still alive she was sick a lot. As strong as her will was, her body wasn't. One day a witch came to court, offering what help she could provide, and my mother was glad to accept it. She offered her a place to live in exchange for her help, as well as a promise that she could stay there safely for the rest of her life. She was at court to deliver some potions when news of her sister's death reached her, and my mother told her not to worry about her, but to go and try to find her nephew.

"She never told us the details of what happened, but she returned angry and grieving, and her voice was gone. My mother respected her privacy and never looked into it, but it was clear that her voice had been a price she had had to pay."

Stress trailed off but Etho picked up the story seamlessly.

"All magic comes with a price," he said. "For most of us it is only exhaustion, and the danger of burning ourselves out when we deplete it completely. But something like a voice is a price you pay for doing something terrible. Whatever some people might think, witches don’t curse people. Not usually at least. Curses mess with things no decent witch will mess with. So if they do they pay a price. I don't presume to know the whole situation, but for her to only pay with her voice she most likely had something to work with."

"The pain of a dying mother," Ramal said, quietly.

"Yes," Etho said

They all lapsed into silence, the story weighing on their minds.

Beef and Bdubs had started dinner by the time Tango and Impulse returned, a fox following on their heels. Ramal watched them as they crossed the yard, and he was glad to see that Impulse seemed more relaxed, both their faces showing no trace that any of the history Impulse had with this place weighed on their minds.

They sat down with the rest of their group, close as always, and the fox only stayed with them for a moment before it started to walk around the fire to sniff at all of them curiously.

“This is Cinnabin,” Tango explained. “They’re the current host of the spirit of the Wessian Forest. They’ve decided to stick around for some reason.”

“Didn’t you mention that the Wessian Forest was rather territorial?” False asked Impulse with a slight frown once she had scratched Cinnabin behind the ears.

Impulse shrugged. “We can’t avoid it either way. This way we at least have a chance to decide to go around the forest after all.”

Ramal watched as they approached Bdubs, and he was sure he wasn’t the only one who held their breath a little, waiting to see what would happen. But as it turned out they didn’t have to, because Cinnabin happily rubbed their head against Bdubs leg and accepted him petting them, before they moved on to Beef.

Bdubs shot them all an amused look before he said, “Now with that all cleared up, how about some nice tasty food?”

None of them disagreed.

Impulse didn’t lead them back towards where the main road entered the forest the next morning. Instead he cut across the space between the village and the forest and entered the forest right there, Tango riding right behind him, Cinnabin walking along next to his horse. The rest of them threw each other looks, before they all took a deep breath and followed them.

The forest was unlike any other forest Ramal had been in before. The air was stuffy, even though it was still early, and the sun was not nearly high enough up in the sky to have warmed the air enough for it to be this way. The canopy was closed above them, not a sliver of sky to be seen between the branches and leaves, and when Ramal looked to the sides, he realised that the trees stood closer together than he ever had seen. He doubted that they would have found a way through them if they had accidentally ended up leaving the path, but with Impulse and Cinnabin leading them it seemed almost as if the trees were opening up a path for them much like the jungle had done when they had left Beef’s and Etho’s camp behind.

Sometimes Ramal caught glimpses of life through the trees, a deer stalking through the undergrowth in the distance, something that looked like a path leading away from theirs through the forest. There was something about those paths that made a shiver run down his spine. It felt as if there was far more to this forest than the spirit that walked by Impulse's side, some other more sinister magic that tried to lure them away from the path never to be seen again. Sometimes it almost felt like the trees were awake and whispering to each other, or as if a voice was trying to whisper to them to lure them in a direction they did not want to go.

If Impulse heard it too he showed no sign of it, but from the way Ex shifted in his saddle occasionally Ramal knew he wasn't the only one who was aware of it. And when their path bent around to follow the easiest way up small slope, Ramal looked at the Hermits riding behind him and saw the way False had one hand on her sword, and the way Etho and Bdubs kept looking at the trees.

He was sure they all were already looking forward to getting out of this forest again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone!  
> I just wanted to say a massive thank you for sticking with this verse for almost a year now. I love all of you <3

The atmosphere of the Wessian forest around them felt more oppressive with every hour that they spent under its roof. As they had gotten closer to the heart of it, more of the paths had appeared, their calls ever more insistent.  
But the paths hadn't been the only thing.  
They were already deep inside the forest when they spotted the first path that looked more like an overgrown road, paved with large stones, some of them overturned by tree roots. Impulse studiously ignored them and the rest of them followed his example, only some risking quick looks at it as they passed.  
Next came the ruins. An archway here, something that looked like the remains of a wall there along yet another road. It seemed as if there had been some sort of civilisation here once upon a time, but it was unclear what happened to them.  
The trees stood close enough here that none of them could properly tell what time of day it was, so they rested when they needed to and rode as long as their horses would carry them. They did not light fires at their campsites, and their meals were short and only accompanied by whispered conversations. Bdubs and Cinnabin wove circles of magic around them, protecting them from whatever visible and invisible dangers lurked among the trees. Most of them slept fitfully, and all of them looked to be as close to the others as possible. Impulse and Tango were probably the ones who slept most easily, wrapped around each other, Tango back to back with Ramal, while Impulse had his back against False's, Tango calmed by the reassuring feeling of how calm Impulse was through all of it.  
"Was it really the best decision to take this path instead of the forest road?" Etho asked during dinner one day, and Impulse smiled tiredly.  
"It wouldn't have made much of a difference. The forest road is protected by old magic, but the magic doesn't protect it from the atmosphere. Besides, I didn't want to see if the protection spells of the road would recognise Cinnabin as a threat or not."  
Etho nodded, and they all were silent once more.  
Despite Impulse's reassurance that they were only about two days away from the edge of it, the forest seemed to grow darker yet. Finally Impulse stopped and with a look back over his shoulder said, "Tango…"  
He didn't need to specify further, and a moment later Tango had summoned a small flame and one by one they lit their soulfire lanterns and hung them from their packs, turning them into a ghostly procession among the trees as they moved on.  
They stepped out of the tree line only two days later to find the sun would set soon, and for the first time since they had entered the Wessian Forest they all breathed freely. They could see houses in the distance, and by unspoken agreement they spurred on their horses and made for the first living settlement since the evening before they had reached the eastern edge of the forest.

Impulse was standing with Tango, their horses' next to them as they waited for Beef and Etho to rent them rooms over night. They were all tired. The journey through the forest had taken more out of them than they all liked to admit. But it was over now, and he knew that they would all rest a little easier tonight.  
He was fighting a yawn when a voice behind him called out, "Hey! Dipple dap!"  
He caught Tango's frown as he turned around, a grin already forming on his face before he saw the man who had called out to him.  
"Skizz, is that you?" he asked, letting the reigns of his horse go in favour of stepping towards his old friend.  
"In the flesh." Skizz grinned and when Impulse hugged him tightly he was rewarded with a few good-natured slaps to his shoulder.  
"I haven't seen you in ages."  
"Not since we said goodbye at that crossroads tavern. If you're staying the night we should sit down and catch up."  
"Sure thing."  
Impulse smiled and Skizz clapped his shoulder.  
"I got something to do but I'll be around," he said with one of his wide grins, and Impulse couldn't help but laugh in reply, nodding even as he caught sight of Etho and Beef coming back outside.  
"You still owe me a drink," he said, and Skizz laughed as he turned away already, disappearing into the crowd with a last wave over his shoulder.  
Impulse shook his head fondly as he returned to the others, only shooting Tango a quick smile before they followed the others towards the stables.  
He could tell that Tango was curious, but he didn't want to go into detail out here. Besides, it would be easier to introduce them to each other.  
They worked side by side in comfortable silence before they went up to their room to put away their things and get a much needed bath.  
They were already in the tub when Tango asked, "So who was that earlier?"  
"Skizz? He's an old friend. I haven't seen him in years. We parted ways shortly before I went south to the desert."  
Tango hummed and nosed at the side of his neck, before he said, "You just never mentioned him."  
And ah…  
Impulse sighed and moved around so he could face Tango, making the water slosh over the edges of the tub.  
"Are you jealous?" he asked, a little incredulous.  
"No, it's just…" Tango looked away, not meeting his eyes and Impulse sighed.  
"It's just that you don't know him so you're fearing the worst."  
He reached out and tilted Tango's head towards him, taking his face into both hands.  
"Skizz was never anything other than a friend. We were two runts who had no one else when we met. We became friends and stuck together until we decided to go separate ways. I haven't seen him since. We both know that there is no one who could take me away from you."  
He waited until Tango nodded before he leaned in and kissed him, maybe a bit too forcefully. Tango wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him close, his lips opening eagerly. The water was still warm, they had time.

Bdubs felt refreshed after his bath and for the first time in a while he walked back to his room with a spring in his step. He shook his head fondly when he walked past the room he had seen Impulse and Tango disappear into when he heard the tell tale sound of water sloshing and someone sighing. He was glad they had each other. Tango had been doing okay when Bdubs and the others had left the Hermitage the last time, but none of them had seen him as relaxed and happy as he was now. It was as if he was resting more in himself, as if he was surer about his place in the world and who he was, and Bdubs couldn't help but be happy for him.  
And Impulse…. In the little time they had spent together Bdubs had come to like him. It was clear that while he was easy to laugh and joke, he seemed always focused on helping his family and making sure they got through everything safely. He would be a good prince consort when Tango became king of the djinn, Bdubs thought.  
But before he could think more about them the door to Etho's and Beef's room opened just as he was about to pass it, and Etho peeked out, before he smiled softly and pulled the door open the rest of the way and pulled him inside.  
"Look who I found," he said to Beef, who was just drying off his hair, his chest still bare.  
Beef turned and grinned.  
"Well if it isn't Bdubs," he said, before he dropped his towel and opened his arms. "Come here."  
"Ugh you could put on a shirt first you know?" Bdubs said, but he stepped in easily and let himself be engulfed by Beef's hug. Bdubs was used to being the shortest out of the four of them and he had to smile when Etho joined them and wrapped his arms around him from behind.  
"I miss Doc," he admitted, always the one who was most prone to getting openly sentimental.  
"It won't be long now until we see him again," Beef said. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see us."  
"He better be," Bdubs said, attempting to keep it light-hearted, but failing.  
The other two both tightened their arms around him.  
"Of course he will," Etho said. "You're still you.  
Bdubs swallowed. "Thank you," he said quietly. "Maybe if I hear it enough I'll start to believe it."  
"Well I guess then we'll have to mention it a few times more." Beef sounded upbeat as always, happy to do what Bdubs needed to feel better and Bdubs moved a bit closer, tightening his arms around him. They'd have to go down eventually for dinner but right now there was no place he would rather be.

Tango sat with the others while Impulse went over to sit down with Skizz to catch up. After their talk in the bathtub he had gotten curious and while he left them to their conversation he couldn't quite focus on the one the others had either. He could feel Impulse's happiness through their soulbond, a warm feeling like the sun on a nice summer day that made Tango want to smile along with it.  
He didn't need much prompting when he felt the mental tug from Impulse, and with a smile he excused himself from the others and took his ale over to where Impulse and Skizz sat.  
"I see you guys got some weird mental communication going on there," Skizz said, raising one eyebrow when Tango joined them.  
Impulse laughed. "Well we are soulmates. It's part of the deal."  
"Oh man. I need to find me one of those. That's so cool. Anyways, the name's Skizz, nice to meet you."  
Tango grinned. "Tango. Nice to meet you too."  
"Skizz was just about to tell me about the people he's travelling with these days."  
"Oh?"  
"Well you make it sound like we're always travelling together, but most of us are off on our own usually. We're looki-" Skizz was cut off when Ramal passed behind him and his chair got knocked over.  
Tango was fairly sure only he and Impulse had seen the subtle movement of his leg when he had tripped the chair, followed by a short nod towards the stairs, before Ramal disappeared among the patrons while Ex who did a very good job at acting drunk, knocked into a guy sitting not far from them.  
Impulse and Tango got up and quickly grabbed Skizz from the floor and used the commotion to disappear up the stairs towards their room. They were helped by Etho providing additional distraction as he got up and made a show of declaring he was going to bed, quickly followed by the other hermits.  
Ramal was the first to appear in their room, a gust of wind solidifying into his usual corporeal form.  
"Sorry about the commotion but you had a tail and we didn't think you'd want him to hear what you were about to say," he said. "Ex is dealing with him right now."  
Skizz looked a little overwhelmed but he nodded, and he only startled slightly when Etho came in and with a wave of his hand covered the window with a thick sheet of ice.  
"That should stop anyone from listening in through that," he said.  
"I got the hallway covered," Bdubs added.  
The room felt cramped with their entire group standing inside, especially after Ex joined them as well, but there was safety in numbers and this way they had enough people to make sure the coast remained clear.  
"So you're a Legate," Ramal said, tilting his head to the side.  
Skizz eyed him suspiciously. "Sounds a lot like you were listening in as well. So why should I trust you, eh?"  
Impulse rolled his eyes, "Ramal is just bad at giving people privacy sometimes."  
"I'm just making sure to keep safe what I swore to protect."  
"Woah there. You a prince or something now, Impulse?"  
"No. He is." Impulse nodded his head towards Tango, who gave Skizz a toothy grin. He could spot Etho, who looked like he could barely bite back a comment about what kind of royalty was also present, until Stress gently stepped on his foot, just as Impulse continued, "But you were about to tell us what it is you guys do, weren't you?"  
Skizz got serious and nodded. "It's about something that happened before I joined the others. In the place they used to live they got hit with something they call the Withering Energy. It destroyed their homes and left them looking for a new one. We're still trying to find out what exactly hit them and where it came from."  
Impulse exchanged a look with Ramal, who shrugged. "It's nothing I've ever heard of. And I don't think I've heard my mother speak of it."  
"Neither have I," Impulse said. "Though I wonder…" He shook his head. "I'd have to know more. You must have some leads though Skizz, don't you?"  
Skizz paused, but then he sighed and said. "We have one. A crest from Pesara."  
"A dove holding a branch of laurel in its beak, sitting on top a tower? We've encountered it. It's the-"  
"The Mondavo family, I know."  
Tango frowned. The more they found out about all of this, the less sense it made.  
“How long ago was this attack on the legates?” he asked.  
“About a year, a year and a half maybe?”  
“That doesn’t add up,” he muttered to himself. “We’re clearly missing something.”  
He met Ramal’s eyes and knew they were both thinking the same thing. But they also knew they were not going to say it out loud in front of everyone.  
"So the Mondavo family gets involved in destroying the Legates' home and then tries to frame Snefjella for an attempt on King Dick's life," Stress said. "But what is their goal here?"  
"Have you guys considered that they might be trying to expand their business?" xB said. "I mean….what if the attack on the Legates was a demonstration for, I don't know, some new kind of weapon or something. But then they needed a war to actually sell them so they tried to get one."  
"But why Snefjella? They have some of their main trading connections there." Dick frowned. "And who in Pesara wants war? There's been hostilities but… a war is in no one's interest. Not with the djinn at the southern border and Finis likely siding with Snefjella."  
"Well someone clearly thinks war will help them." xB shrugged. "The question is who."  
"And to what ends will they go?" Ex said quietly. "If the Legates couldn't protect themselves can we really presume to keep ourselves and the country safe?"  
Stress stepped into their middle decisively. "We will have to. And we will have to get to the bottom of this." She turned to Skizz. "If you and the others want to help, gather them up and come to Snefjella. Go to Hermitville. If we're gone by the time you reach us the others will know how to let you help." She held out her hand to him, presenting him with an intricate ice flower. "Show this at the border. They will know to let you pass."  
Skizz looked at her in awe, stunned into silence, and Tango couldn't fault him for it. Despite her simple travel clothes, Stress looked regal at that moment.  
Skizz swallowed and picked up the flower with delicate fingers.  
"I will talk to the others," he said.  
Stress smiled and nodded and just like that she was just Stress again, stepping back to stand with False, who wrapped an arm around her waist. Tango was willing to bet they wouldn't go to sleep immediately tonight.  
Etho cleared his throat. "If that's all sorted then how about we all go to bed? Let's sleep on all of this before we start turning in circles."  
The others nodded, and Etho dissolved the ice at the window with another movement of his hand, before he followed Beef and Bdubs out of the room, the rest of the Hermits and Skizz following one by one.  
"Ramal," Tango said quietly, and his friend nodded, staying behind when the door fell closed behind Ex.  
Tango sat down on the edge of the bed bracing his elbows on his knees.  
"Are we sure we have no idea what this Withering Energy is supposed to be?" he asked.  
"As I said, I haven't heard of it," Ramal said.  
"Neither have I," Impulse added. "Though it might just be that they found words to describe something they did not know."  
"So one of the normal effects of a wither, but described differently?" Ramal asked. "It's possible I guess. We'd have to know what exactly happened when the Legates' home got destroyed. But that's not what's bothering you, is it?" The last was directed at Tango, who was staring down at his hands.  
He looked up now and said, "What I'm wondering is if they have an in at the wither skeleton farm that we don't know about. And if they have taken more skulls than we know about."  
"I doubt it. Everyone working at those farms gets rigorously vetted. We do everything we can to make sure something like this doesn't happen."  
"There are other ways to get wither skeleton skulls," Impulse said. "They're more dangerous and harder but it's possible. Maybe they just decided to risk breaking into the farm because they needed more than they could get."  
"Still, I'm not comfortable with just leaving it at that." Tango got up. "Ramal, you saw the djinn merchant sitting in the corner of the main room downstairs? Please bring her here. I assume Captain Hamia still leads the northern border post?"  
"Yes."  
"Good."  
Ramal bowed his head, clearly recognising the dismissal even if Tango didn't voice it, and quickly left the room.

"So what are you planning to do?" Impulse asked, stepping up to Tango, who was digging through his pack.  
"I'm going to send orders to Hamia to tighten controls at the wither skeleton farm. And a note to my mother to tell her why."  
"Haven't they been tightened already?"  
Tango got up, paper and a quill in his hands, and quickly sat down at the small table in the corner.  
"Yes, but I don't want to risk anything."  
Impulse nodded. He could feel the twist of anxiety from Tango, the deep restlessness about being unable to do much more than this, and he reached out to gently pat his shoulder, even as Tango got to work, quickly writing out his orders to Captain Hamia while Impulse fetched wax for the seal, and following it up with a quick note to his mother.  
He looked up at Impulse when he was done and said, "I just need to do something."  
"I know," Impulse said, reaching out to cup his jaw. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't."

When Ramal stepped back inside Impulse's and Tango's room with the merchant in tow, Tango was just sealing a note, another sitting finished on the table next to him already.  
He turned around towards them, the crown prince he was from head to toe. Impulse was leaning against the window sill, his arms crossed in front of his chest, greeting the merchant with a friendly smile. The merchant bowed.  
"Thank you for coming to see me," Tango said.  
"I apologise, I had not believed it was you when I was approached. What do you need from me, your highness?"  
"I need you to carry a message for me. You shall be compensated for any business you miss out on because of my request."  
"I am at your service."  
Tango got up and picked the two letters up to hand them to her.  
"This is for Captain Hamia at the northern border post in the Nether. The second is a note to my mother. It asks her to arrange compensation for your losses."  
The merchant took them with another bow and let them disappear into the folds of their robes.  
"I know it is a lot to ask, but I need them delivered as fast as possible."  
"I will leave at the break of dawn," the merchant assured him.  
"Thank you."  
"It's an honour to serve you, your highness."  
The merchant bowed a last time, and sensing that she was dismissed left the room.  
Tango relaxed as soon as she was gone, and Impulse stepped up to him and gently wrapped an arm around him.  
“You’ve done all you can,” he said.  
Tango nodded, and with a sigh he turned towards him and almost sagged into his arms and buried his head against Impulse's shoulder.  
Ramal had to look away. The moment felt too intimate for him to witness.  
"Thank you for helping with this," Impulse said, looking at him over Tango's head, and Ramal had to suppress the impulse to bow before him.  
He rarely felt the difference in standing between them, too used to knowing Tango and having grown up with him, Impulse always treating him as an equal since they had met. But right now he couldn't help but see the future prince consort and the future king in front of him, their lives and responsibilities so far from his own that he had no idea how he was worthy to be in their presence.  
He smiled and inclined his head, grappling to keep his tone normal as he said, "I help however I can."  
Judging by the way Impulse’s smile softened he wasn’t quite successful, but Impulse spared them both the embarrassment of commenting on it.  
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Ramal said. “Good night.”  
“Good night,” Impulse said, and even Tango mumbled something that could be taken as a good night.  
Just when the door was about to close Ramal heard Impulse murmur to Tango, and Tango replying, the two of them already in some distant world he could not reach.  
He went back to the room he shared with Ex, and he was glad that Ex did not ask what Tango had needed from him, because he had no idea how to explain what he had just witnessed, the realisation that the future he had always thought far away was closer than he thought after all, the inevitability of it all rearing its head.  
Ex wordlessly pulled him into his arms, and Ramal rested his head against his chest with a sigh. There was no use in worrying about that future now.

To say Xisuma wasn't fond of official functions was probably an understatement. He could see the political use in them, but he didn't see the sense in attending them; not when he could be productive and do work in his office instead.  
Still, Elias and Wels had both agreed that they needed to do something to keep the nobles from getting too bored, and a feast had seemed appropriate to give them the impression that their opinions and concerns were heard by the regent. Xisuma had accepted his fate and had let Elias organise the thing, if only to make sure all the right nobles were invited.  
He spent most of the evening talking to people who thought they were more important than they actually were, smiling through one trifle story after the other, while he suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and ask them what they did to make the lives of the normal people under their protection better. He did not envy Stress for having to do this regularly.  
He moved from noble to noble and group to group, talking a little with everyone, Elias always by his side, murmuring names and titles to him whenever they approached someone new.  
They had just finished talking to one of the nobles from the North, who seemed a little overly concerned about the whereabouts of Etho, when they were approached by Lord Wels.  
Not even the polite tone and respectful bow could save Xisuma’s opinion of the man. Even if his first impression after meeting Wels’ father had been better, Wels had shared too much of what his father had been like to him all his life for Xisuma to feel any sympathy for the man.  
He was polite to a fault now, his manners perfect and not even showing a sign of what Xisuma knew he truly thought of him. He offered Xisuma a goblet of wine.  
“It’s a special new vintage from the south,” he said. “Old connections of the family. Sadly my son never managed to appreciate them properly.”  
Xisuma did not say what he thought of the subtle dig at Wels, but he accepted the goblet with a polite smile, and raised it to his lips to take a sip.

Wels was standing in a corner talking to Gertha, both of them keeping an eye on the room. Neither of them was fond of these get-togethers. There were too many scheming nobles for their comfort, and while it was routine for the guard, its commanding officers were much more likely to be accosted by the guests, who thought they might try their luck and attempt to gain something politically by getting into the good graces of the Captain of the Queen’s Guard or their lieutenant. He was glad that so far the attempts had been kept to a minimum, because it meant he didn’t have to pretend to be happy to see any of the stuck up nobles that liked to attend these things.  
He vaguely kept track of Xisuma, but he knew his friend could take care of himself, and Elias was by his side all evening to help him navigate the more difficult aspects of court politics. He was surprised when he saw a movement out of the corner of his eyes and spotted his mother hurrying towards them, her blond hair braided into an intricate knot, her dress a red so dark the train of it seemed almost black in the dim light of the hall, like a bad omen following her. A deep line of worry was etched into her forehead, and Wels turned towards her on instinct, reaching out to put a calming hand on her shoulder as soon as she was within reach.  
“What’s the matter, mother?” he asked, unable to hide his own worry at her state.  
“It’s your father.” She took a deep breath, pulling herself together. “I don’t know what exactly it is, but I overheard him earlier, talking to some of his friends out in the garden, and then a few minutes ago I saw him slip something into a goblet of wine. He… I think he is trying to poison Master Xisuma.”  
Wels’ head snapped up before she had finished speaking Xisuma’s name, immediately finding where he had seen him last. He suppressed a curse at the sight of his father standing with him, bowing.  
“Did you see what he put into the goblet?” Gertha was already asking.  
“I didn’t see much but it was… the bottle was slim, elegant…” Brunhilde trailed off, and Wels knew that like him she remembered where she had seen it.  
“Gertha, keep men ready to arrest my father,” he ordered. “And Xisuma and I will have to get out and to the dungeons quickly.”  
“Son…” Brunhilde started, and he threw her a quick smile.  
“I’ll be fine,” he said, before he left them there, stalking across the room at a speed that was slow enough not to tip anyone off about his intentions, but was also fast enough so no one would try to hold him up. He watched his father speak with Xisuma, and hand him a goblet of wine, the polite smile on Xisuma’s face as he accepted it.  
Xisuma was just raising the goblet to his lips when Wels reached them. He smoothly inserted himself into their group, a smile on his face as he blocked his father from easily reaching Xisuma.  
“Oh it’s been a while since I had some of that,” he said, “I hope it’s still as good as it used to be.”  
Xisuma raised an eyebrow at him, but he seemed to understand enough to give up his goblet easily when Wels reached for it. Wels paused before he drank from it.  
“Whatever happens. Get me to the dungeons immediately. You only have a few minutes,” he said quietly. “And don’t listen to me.”  
Xisuma gave him a quick nod to show that he understood, and Wels raised the wine to his lips and emptied the goblet all at once.

Xisuma watched as Wels let the goblet drop to the floor, his hands balling themselves into fists, and he stepped in and took one of his arms to guide him towards a door in the wall that was already pushed open by a guard, even while he heard Gertha behind him, arresting Lord Wels.  
“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” he said quietly.  
“Sorry, no one would have believed I was drunk or clumsy if I had just knocked into you, and this way I didn’t make much of a scene.”  
They slipped into the passage, and Wels added. "You might want to restrain me now that we're out of sight."  
Xisuma nodded, switching from holding on to his elbow to take his wrist, twisting Wels' arm behind his back and pulling the second one in to hold them both there as they hurried along the passage towards a stairwell that led down. He could feel a tremor start in Wels' arms and he tightened his hold as he pushed them down the stairs.  
But whatever he had expected, it hadn't been the amount of strength Wels seemed to possess all of a sudden as he strained against Xisuma's grip and the ease with which he broke free and swung around, already aiming for Xisuma's head.  
Xisuma reacted on instinct, teleporting away just before the hit could connect, reappearing further down the stairs.  
Wels bellowed with rage as he turned towards him and Xisuma was barely able to keep out of range when he advanced. He felt like a mouse, chased by a cat, a very angry, very strong cat. Round and round they went down, Xisuma always dancing out of reach, even teleporting short distances a few times, as Wels went from a berserker's rage to something more calculated, stalking him like prey.  
They reached the bottom of the stairs, and it became harder to truly evade Wels in the straight corridor that lay ahead. Wels changed tactics again, barrelling straight ahead instead of waiting to see where Xisuma went. Xisuma had to hurry to keep away from him, putting him at a disadvantage in a part of the castle he wasn't nearly as familiar with as he needed to be to be effective.  
And then his back hit a door with a thunk.  
Wels grinned, and he took his time as he advanced. He could take as long as he wanted with Xisuma being trapped like this.  
"Well look at you. You got nowhere left to go."  
Wels didn't even sound like himself anymore, his voice darker, more threatening, and Xisuma had to do his best to not react to the change.  
"Wouldn't it be so much easier to just surrender? To let go?" the thing that looked like Wels said. "I'll make it easy for you, you won't even feel a thing."  
It had reached Xisuma then, and he had to smile.  
"I don't think so," he quipped, teleporting again just before it could close its hands around his throat. He could hear its enraged scream through the door, and he only had a moment to prepare before it tore right through the wood, charging at him with renewed rage. But down here Xisuma was in more familiar territory again. Wels had insisted that he knew the way to the dungeons, and he used that knowledge now as he turned around and ran, down the corridor and around the corner.  
The door to the dungeons mercifully stood open and he barely managed to shout at the warden to close the cell behind them as he barrelled past, praying his pursuer would stay focused on him.  
He threw himself into an open cell, Wels on his heels, and he couldn't quite evade him this time, not in a small space like this.  
The impact of the wall against his back drove the air from his lungs and left him gasping, Wels snarling into his face. But he only stayed there long enough to hear the click of the lock as the key was turned.  
He stumbled and fell to the floor when he reappeared outside the cell, trying desperately to get his breath under control.  
When he could finally breathe again he looked up, right into Wels' face, twisted with rage where it was pressed against the bars.  
Though he had to ask himself if anything was left of his friend behind unfamiliar red eyes.


	17. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter already?  
> It's more likely than you think.
> 
> I've been thinking long and hard about this one, and I've come to the conclusion that this is a good spot to cut the narrative and wrap up this fic. I could bore you all with the details but I'm not going to (unless you're really curious then feel free to send me an ask on tumblr).
> 
> Obviously there's lots of loose threads that need to be tied up still, and we're maybe about half way through the story as a whole. I definitely need a bit of time to fully work out some things before I jump into it but I'll do my best to get there quickly.
> 
> In the mean time feel free to bug me about all the things you want to know about this au over on my [tumblr](https://abschaumno1.tumblr.com). I can't promise to fully answer all of them but I'll at least tell you if I won't share something because of spoilers. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who stuck with this, and all the people who listened to me ramble about this and let me bounce ideas around.  
> I hope to see at least some of you back for the next part of this journey.

Five days had passed since they had left the Wessian Forest and met Skizz. Ex had felt the same relief as the others about being back in the sunlight, but the atmosphere that had weighed on all of their minds had quickly been replaced by something new for him. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something like an itch under his skin, spurring him on to get home as fast as possible.  
It kept nagging at him, a dim sense of foreboding, as if something was about to happen or maybe even had happened already.  
Skizz’ revelation about the Mondavo Family and what had happened to the Legates had not served to make him less anxious. He knew that Tango had done something after they had all left, most likely coming to the same conclusion as Ex had. But he had respected Ramal’s loyalty to his prince and not asked any questions. As long as he didn’t ask Ramal did not have to evade him.  
The only thing he did know was that however Tango had acted, it had left an impression on Ramal, and that he hadn’t quite been able to shake it ever since.  
He had to think of it when they approached the Snefjellan border post. They were all in good spirits, happy to finally return home. Ex could see shoulders relax ever so slightly, the little impatient ticks of the others, and he had to smile despite the increasing anxiety pooling in his belly.  
Ramal threw him a worried look, but he only smiled back. Whatever it was, he would deal with it when he knew more.

The guards at the border post seemed to be waiting for them, because as soon as they reached it their captain stepped forward and bowed before Stress.  
“Welcome home,” he said. “We’ve been told to expect you.”  
Ex had to smile. Trust Xisuma to figure out where they would cross the border and make sure that they would have the proper welcome.  
But the captain looked serious as he continued. “I don’t want to keep you too long, but I think you should step inside for a moment before you move on. We have just had news from the capital.”  
Something icy cold ran down Ex’s spine, and he had to take a deep breath as he got off his horse and followed the others as they ducked inside the main building.  
The captain led them to the mess hall and they all sat down around a large table.  
“News reached us earlier today that there was an incident during a feast at court. Even we haven’t been told what exactly happened, only that an attempt at the Regent’s life has been foiled by Captain Wels. Chancellor Karlsson advises you to be cautious as you travel on from here.”  
And all of a sudden Ex felt like he had been thrown into a frozen lake.


End file.
